V 


— ^ ^ — 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 

287  6 
F45nx  , 


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Memorials  of  Methodism 


IN  THE  BOUNDS  OF  THE 


ROCK  RIVER  CONFERENCE. 


BY  REV.  A.  D.  FIELD, 

OF  THE  ROCK  RIVER  CONFERENCE. 


CINCINNATI : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  AUTHOR 
BY  CRANSTON  & STOWE. 

1880. 


Copyright 
BY  A.  D.  FIELD, 
1886. 


291.  C> 

F45’'^ 


PREFACE. 


npHE  writer  of  these  veracious  sketches  came  to 
^ Illinois  with  his  father^s  family,  and  settled  in 
Chicago,  in  June,  1835.  In  1839  he  became  ac- 
quainted Avith  Methodism  and  Methodist  preachers. 
Circumstances  connected  Avith  the  residence  of 
family  relations  led  him  to  the  acquaintance  with 
Methodist  workings  in  many  parts  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference  from  the  date  mentioned  above. 
Being  four  years  a member  of  Clark  Street  Church, 
and  having  been  noAv  (1886)  over  thirty-seven 
years  a member  of  the  Rock  River  Conference, 
there  are  few  Avho  have  a better  knowledge  of  the 
men  and  times  than  the  Avriter. 

Being  at  the  dedication  of  Canal  Street  Church 
in  Chicago,  in  1843,  we  took  the  first  notes  refer- 
ring to  Western  Methodism;  and  about  1850  Ave 
fully  determined  to  Avrite  such  a Avork  as  Ave  now 
give  the  reader.  Ever  since  we  have  been  gather- 
ing, as  we  could,  items  for  such  sketches.  We  have 
received  information  from  many  sources  concerning 
most  events,  and  it  is  Avonderful  how  much  those 
Avho  took  part  in  the  events  differ  in  statements. 


577889 


4 


PREFACE. 


Out  of  these  contradictions  we  have  been  able^  in 
most  instances^  to  arrive  at  the  truth,  and  we  think 
the  sketches  are  generally  correct. 

We  append  a few  words  of  request  and  of  ex- 
planation. 

1.  This  work  has  been  hurried  through  the 
press,  under  financial  difficulties  to  be  sure,  if  pos- 
sible, to  get  it  into  the  hands  of  the  few  remaining 
early  members  before  they  are  gone.  The  reason 
of  this  wish  is,  that  we  hope  it  will  call  forth  at 
once  corrections  and  additional  matter.  We  ear- 
nestly request  all  readers  to  send  to  us  at  once 
every  thing  of  interest  they  may  recall  concerning 
early  societies  and  early  workers.  Be  careful  to 
give  names  and  dates  correctly.  We  are  preparing 
a further  work,  to  be  mainly  devoted  to  the  life 
and  times  of  the  workers.  All  matters  of  interest 
illustrating  the  lives  of  such  men  as  Jesse  Walker, 
John  Sinclair,  Hooper  Crews,  Philo  Judson,  J.  H. 
Vincent,  R.  A.  Blanchard,  Luke  Hitchcock,  C.  H. 
Fowler,  S.  R.  Beggs,  B.  H.  Cartwright,  etc.,  will 
be  received  with  thankfulness. 

2.  The  body  of  this  book  was  written  in  1865. 
Since  then  we  have  brought  most  matters  briefly  to 
date.  Every  fact  and  date  up  to  1865  was  care- 
fully considered.  We  have  not  had  time  to  be  so 
careful  concerning  matters  since  then.  We  were 


PREFACE, 


6 


more  anxious  to  preserve  the  earlier  incidents,  as 
the  doings  of  later  years  are  yet  in  the  hands  of  the 
living,  and,  for  the  most  part,  already  on  record. 

3.  Our  idea  in  the  beginning  was  to  write  little 
concerning  living  men.  Concerning  many  men,  we 
began  with  lengthy  sketches;  but  we  soon  found 
we  must  omit  much  intended  matter  to  keep  our 
pages  within  bounds.  Some  of  Rock  River’s  most 
noted  men  have  done  most  of  their  work  in  our 
bounds  since  the  body  of  the  work  was  written, 
and,  for  reasons  given  above,  have  hardly  been 
mentioned.  Among  them  are  O.  H.  Tiffany,  Ar- 
thur Edwards,  R.  M.  Hatfield,  and  a host  of  oth- 
ers, whom  we  intend,  if  life  is  spared,  some  time  in 
the  near  future,  to  enshrine  in  the  printed  page. 

4.  Such  a local  work  as  this  book  is,  will  neces- 
sarily have  a limited  sale ; and  as  the  money  in- 
vested in  it  is  needed  for  further  publications,  we 
trust  every  well-wisher  will  aid,  by  purchase  and 
notice,  the  sale  of  this  work. 

5.  We  are  sure  many  persons  will  be  disap- 
pointed when  they  find  how  brief  is  the  account  of 
matters  which  they  have  learned  to  look  upon  as 
of  great  importance.  Their  disappointment  will  be 
just ; but  our  apology  is,  we  found  it  impossible  to 
crowd  into  a volume  all  that  ought  to  be  said.  We 
have  purposely  given  most  space  to  matters  of  the 


6 


PREFACE, 


early  day  that  would  be  lost.  A volume  as  large 
as  this  could  be  written  concerning  every  prominent 
interest.  If  life  is  spared,  we  hope  to  do  some  of 
these  things  hereafter. 

We  have  had  aid  from  so  many,  it  would  be 
difficult  to  mention  all.  The  most  effectual  aid  has 
come  from  our  friend.  Dr.  J.  H.  Vincent,  to  whom 
we  return  most  cordial  thanks. 

If  any  reader  shall  find  that  his  Church  has  not 
been  written  up  in  the  following  pages,  he  will 
please  collect  the  early  history,  and  forward  the 
notes  to  the  author. 

A.  D.  FIELD. 

Indianola,  Warren  Co., Iowa. \ 

February,  1886.  j 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  Illinois — First  Appoint- 
ment in  Rock  River  Bounds — Salem  Mission  on  Fox  River  in 
1825— Jesse  Walker, Page  7. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  Galena  in  1828 — First  Ap- 
pointment of  the  Whites  in  Rock  River  Conference — John 
Dew, 26. 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Chicago, 35. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  Chicago, 49. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Chicago  Methodism  from  1832  to  1835 — First  Methodist 
Church  built, 78. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

New  Circuits  between  1830  and  1835 — Des  Plaines,  Ottawa 
Bureau,  Princeton — David  Blackwell,  William  Royal,  . . 86. 


8 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Galena  from  1830  to  1835 — First  Communion  in  Northern 
Illinois— First  Church  in  Rock  River  Conference  in  1833 — H. 
Crews  at  Galena,  Page  97. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Progress  of  the  Work  from  1835  to  1840— Galena  Church 
burns — Peter  Borein  in  Chicago, 108. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Progress  of  Methodism  from  1835  to  1840  continued — Week- 
day Appointments, 130. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Work  from  1835  to  1840  continued — Buffalo  Grove — 
J.  McKean — Apple  River — Moses  Shunk, 141. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

New  Circuits  from  1835  to  1840 — Sycamore — Roscoe — Bel- 
videre — J.  W.  Whipple — Joliet — Plainfield, 151. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Work  from  1835  to  1840  continued — Elgin — Church 


built  at  Elgin — Rockford — Freeport, 165. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Crystal  Lake  and  Dixon — L.  Hitchcock, 183. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 


First  Session  of  Rock  River  Conference  in  1840 — Rock 
River  Seminary  Founded,  • 196. 


CONTENTS. 


9 


CHAPTER  XV. 

New  Circuits  of  1840 — Lockport — Savannah,  . . Page  208. 
CHAPTER  XVI. 

Chicago  from  1840  to  1845 — Chicago  becomes  a Circuit — 


Abram  Hanson — Love-feast  Tickets, 217. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Review  of  the  Work  from  1840  to  1845, 237. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 


The  Wesleyan  Secession — Rock  River  Conference  and 
Slavery, 261. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Work  from  1840  to  1845  continued — Canal  Street 
Church — Sessions  of  Conference  from  1841  to  1849— Iowa 
Conference  set  off, 270. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Chicago  Methodism  continued — New  Clark  Street  Church 
built — A.  R.  Scranton — James  Mitchell  Troubles,  ....  286. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Canal  and  Indiana  Street  Churches — The  Mitchell  Trouble 
in  those  Churches, 305. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


New  Circuits  and  Resume  of  the  Work  between  1845 
and  1850 — Fate  of  Second  Charges — Spirit-rapping — Wilbur 


10 


CONTENTS. 


McKaig — Which  is  the  Oldest  Society  in  the  Eock  Eiver  Con- 
ference ? Page  321. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Conferences  of  1850  and  1851 — Bishop  Hamline’s  Love- 
feast — Jesse  Walker  reburied  at  Plainfield — New  Churches 
built — Rockford — Joliet — Other  Stations  and  Circuits,  . . 347. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Conferences  of  1852,  1853,  and  1854 — Speech-making  Vis- 
itors— The  German  Work — The  Tornado  of  1860 — Leading 
Dedicators — Last  Traveling  by  Private  Conveyance — Dr. 
Dempster’s  First  Appearance, 370. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Evanston  and  its  Schools — Evanston  founded — Dr.  Demp- 
ster— Garrett  Biblical  Institute, 405. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

The  Biblical  Institute  and  Northwestern  Christian  Advocate — 
Methodist  Periodicals — Editors  of  Advocate — Eliza  Garrett — 
W.  P.  Jones’s  Elegy  on  J.  V.  Watson — Book  Depository — 
T.  M.  Eddy, . . 421. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Conferences  of  1855  and  1856 — Visitors — New  Charges — 
Clark  Seminary — Division  of  Conference — Stations  and  Cir- 
cuits,   438. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


Conference  of  1857— J.  H.  Vincent  and  Sunday-school  In- 
stitutes,   456. 


CONTENTS, 


11 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Conferences  of  1858  and  1859 — Thomas  North  withdraws — 
J.  H.  Vincent,  Secretary — A.  D.  Field,  Statistical  Secretary — 
Street-preaching, Page  465. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

The  Conference  of  1860 — Free  Methodist  Secession,  . 481. 
CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Resume  of  the  Work  from  1860  to  1864 — List  of  the  De- 
parted,   501. 


Memorials  of  Methodism 

IN  THE  BOUNDS  OF  THE 

ROCK  RIVER  CONFERENCE. 


* CHAF^CTKR  I. 

INTRODUCTION  OF  METHODISM  INTO  ILLINOIS, 

IF  there  is  any  evil  connected  with  such  a work 
as  this^  it  will  be  a tendency  to  Chnrch  glori- 
fication ; for  there  is  a Church  egotism  as  well  as 
personal  self-esteem.  We  may  make  such  a work 
the  occasion  of  vain  boasting,  or  we  may  so  recount 
God^s  mercies  to  us  as  that  we  shall  praise  him  the 
more.  How  little  of  what  we  have  undertaken  to 
sketch  would  ever  have  been  produced  had  not  God 
been  with  his  laborers  ! We  of  to-day,  who  pass 
the  months  surrounded  by  the  pleasant  influences 
of  Christian  society,  with  our  Churches,  our  social 
meetings,  our  Sunday-schools,  and  the  regular  min- 
istrations of  the  Word,  do  not,  we  fear,  fully  appre- 
ciate the  cost  at  which  these  privileges  have  been 
wrought  out  for  us.  The  long  years  of  toil  and 
days  of  anxiety  endured  by  our  pioneer  members 
and  preachers,  if  fully  realized  by  us,  would  cause 
us  to  prize  more  highly  the  results  of  those  early 
labors,  and  remember  with  fonder  solicitude  the 
names  of  those  early  workers.  And  let  no  ruthless 


14 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


hand  carelessly  lay  waste  the  fair  fields  of  Method- 
ism, planted  and  watered  with  so  many  labors  and 
tears ! 

A few  years  ago  Judge  Smith,  an  old  settler  of 
Indiana,  in  delivering  lectures  on  the  early  times, 
speaking  of  the  early  progress  of  religion,  said  : 
Had  it  not  been  for  these  men  with  their  saddle- 
bags, on  horseback,  the  West  would  have  gone  to 
barbarism/^  In  the  first  settlements  the  Sabbath 
was  forgotten,  the  Bible  little  read,  and  vices  were 
rife.  But  to  these  incipient  communities  the  men 
on  horseback  went  with  authority  from  on  high,  and 
opened  their  missions  in  the  log  cabins,  bringing 
back  the  settlers  to  the  Sabbath  and  Bible  and  re- 
ligion of  the  older  lands ; and  the  genial  power  of 
religion  has  been  felt  in  every  city  and  village  and 
community.  There  is  scarcely  a neighborhood  in 
the  bounds  of  the  Eock  Eiver  Conference  but  was 
visited  by  the  Methodist  preachers  as  early  as  1840; 
and  if  the  fruits  of  their  labors  are  not  found  in 
every  neighborhood,  it  is  no  sign  the  fruits  are  lost. 
Young  converts  of  the  earlier  days  are  found  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  and  many  of  them  in  the 
better  land.  Many  of  the  prominent  citizens  of 
Chicago  and  other  Western  towns  were  converted 
in  the  country  places,  through  the  labors  of  the 
fathers  of  our  conference. 

Illinois  was  first  settled  by  the  French,  at  Caho- 
kia  and  Kaskaskia,  over  two  hundred  years  ago. 
The  Americans  began  to  settle  in  the  State  about  a 
hundred  years  ago,  coming  up  from  the  South,  over 
the  Ohio  Eiver.  The  stream  of  settlers,  until  1835, 


ILLINOIS, 


15 


was  from  Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  and  the  States 
South.  Many  of  the  early  inhabitants  were  the 
poor  whites  (now,  we  trust,  an  extinct  race)  from 
the  slave  States.  These  came  up  as  far  as  Spring- 
field,  settling  what,  in  the  parlance  of  the  day,  is 
called  ^^Egypt.^^  The  country  from  Springfield  to 
the  Illinois  River,  from  Peru  to  the  Indiana  line, 
was  mostly  settled  from  Ohio.  The  country  north 
of  a line  drawn  from  Peru  to  Indiana  remained 
nearly  vacant  until  1835,  when  settlers  began  to 
pour  in  from  New  York  and  New  England.  As  a 
consequence  of  the  settlers  coming  from  the  South, 
Methodism  was  introduced  from  thence,  bearing  the 
Southern  type  and  form.  Nearly  all  of  the  preach- 
ers of  the  Rock  River  Conference,  up  to  1845,  were 
from  the  South.  Hooper  Crews  and  John  Sinclair, 
two  of  our  noblest  men,  were  from  Kentucky.  The 
course  of  the  tide  of  immigration  was  from  Virginia 
and  Maryland  to  Western  Pennsylvania,  from  Penn- 
sylvania to  Ohio,  from  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas 
to  Kentucky,  and  from  Kentucky  and  Ohio  to  Indi- 
ana and  Illinois. 

As  early  as  1786  one  Benjamin  Ogden  was  ap- 
pointed to  Kentucky,  and  in  1787  appointments 
were  made  to  Ohio,  and  about  1800  to  Indiana.  A 
conference  was  appointed  to  be  held  in  Kentucky 
in  1790.  Peter  Cartwright  tells  us  that  the  first 
Methodist  class  formed  in  Illinois  was  organized  in 
St.  Clair  County  in  1793,  Captain  Joseph  Ogle 
being  appointed  leader.  A sister  Newman  was  liv- 
ing in  Whitesides  County  in  1860,  who  was  a mem- 
ber of  this  first  class  soon  after  its  organization.  It 


16 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


was  formed  by  Joseph  Lillard^  who,  it  seems,  was 
the  first  regular  Methodist  preacher  who  visited  the 
State.  There  were  but  two  hundred  and  ninety-six 
traveling  preachers  on  the  American  continent  at 
that  time.  Another  class  was  organized — we  can 
not  tell  whether  it  was  the  second  or  not — at  Ed- 
wardsville  in  1801.  A man  by  the  name  of  David- 
son, who  died  at  Savannah,  Jo  Daviess  County,  in 
1851,  and  who  was  a member  of  the  first  class  in 
the  Rock  River  Conference  at  Galena,  was  the 
leader.  The  first  mention  of  Illinois  in  the  Minutes 
is  in  1803,  fifteen  years  before  the  Territory  was  ad- 
mitted into  the  Union  as  a State.  There  is  but  one 
appointment ; that  is  simply  Illinois.^^  This  soli- 
tary circuit  continued  until  1815,  when  other  cir- 
cuits began  to  be  formed.  Illinois  District was 
set  off  in  1811 ; but  most  of  the  appointments  were 
in  Indiana  and  Missouri.  The  first  Illinois  appoint- 
ment (1803)  was  ^AVestern  Conference,  Cumberland 
District,  Lewis  Garrett,  P.  E. ; IllinoiSy  Benjamin 
Young,  missionary.’^ 

In  1824  the  Illinois  Conference,  embracing  Illi- 
nois and  Indiana,  was  set  off.  There  were  nine 
appointments  in  Illinois.  In  1830  there  were 
twenty  circuits  in  the  State.  The  first  conference 
session  held  here  met  at  Shiloh  meeting-house,  in 
St.  Clair  County,  in  1820;  the  second  at  Padfield’s, 
on  Looking-glass  Prairie,  October  23,  1824.  S.  R. 
Beggs  was  a member. 

But  it  does  not  accord  with  our  purpose  to  fol- 
low up  the  progress  of  the  work  in  Illinois.  We 
shall  confine  the  account  to  the  limits  we  have 


ILLINOIS, 


17 


chosen  to  represent.  The  first  appointment  within 
the  limits  of  the  present  Rock  River  Conference 
was  made  in  1825,  and  was  as  follows  : 

Illinois  Conference,  Illinois  District,  S.  H. 
Thomson,  P.  E.  ...  Sangamon,  Peter  Cart- 
wright (who  is  also  superintendent  of  the  Potta- 
watomie Mission).  . . . Jesse  Walker,  missionary 
to  the  Pottawatomie  Indians.^^ 

Before  narrating  the  occasion  and  history  of 
that  first  appointment,  we  record  the  following  list : 

1823,  Jesse  Walker,  missionary  to  the  Missouri 
Conference,  whose  attention  is  particularly  directed 
to  the  Indians  within  the  bounds  of  said  conference. 

1824,  Jesse  Walker,  missionary  to  the  settle- 
ments between  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  Rivers, 
and  to  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Clark 
(Peoria). 

1825,  Jesse  Walker,  missionary  to  the  Pottawat- 
omie Indians. 

, 1826,  Pottawatomie  Indians,  Jesse  Walker. 

1827,  Pottawatomie  Mission  at  Salem,  John 
Dew,  superintendent  and  conference  collector  for 
the  mission;  Jesse  Walker,  missionary. 

1828,  Pottawatomie  Mission  at  Salem,  Isaac 
Scarritt. 

Brother  Scarritt  was  sent  to  wind  up  the  work. 

About  1820  John  Stewart  had  gone  up  among 
the  Wyandots  in  Ohio,  and  had  met  with  wonderful 
success.  This  created  a furore  in  favor  of  Indian 
missions.  Jesse  Walker  caught  the  cornmendable 
fever,  and  this  is  why  we  find  him  ready  to  enter 
upon  such  work,  as  is  indicated  above. 


18 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


October  25^  1825,  Brother  Walker  wrote  to  the 
Missionary  Society,  reporting  progress.  In  the 
Spring  of  1824,^^  he  says,  opened  connection  with 
the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  and  found  they  were 
willing  to  receive  a missionary  then  ; but  my  call  to 
the  General  Conference  prevented  me  holding  a sat- 
isfactory council  with  them.  Being  reappointed  the 
next  Autumn  by  Bishop  Roberts,  I opened  a school 
at  Fort  Clark,  . . . which  continued  through  the 
Winter,  and  in  which  I had  six  Indian  children, 
whose  progress  was  extremely  flattering  for  so  short 
a period.  In  the  Spring  of  1825,  with  five  white 
families,  I proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  Fox  River, 
shortly  after  which  I had  a most  satisfactory  council 
with  five  chiefs  of  said  tribe.  We  immediately  built 
cabins  for  the  accommodation  of  the  families.  I 
then  opened  a school,  into  which  I received  fourteen 
Indian  children.  But  finding  that  the  station  was 
not  located  on  Indian  land,  I proceeded  up  Fox 
River  about  thirteen  miles  further,  selected  a sta- 
tion, and  am  now  preparing  to  move  into  it.  The 
place  is  about  one  hundred  miles  above  Fort  Clark, 
about  twenty  miles  north  of  the  Illinois  River,  be- 
tween it  and  Fox  River.  The  soil  is  very  good, 
timber  plenty,  and  the  spot  well  watered. 

These  Indians  roved,  tented,  and  hunted  over 
the  country  bordering  the  Illinois,  Fox,  and  Des 
Plaines  Rivers,  from  Fort  Clark  (now  Peoria)  to 
Fort  Dearborn,  at  Chicago. 

At  the  conference  of  1825  Jesse  Walker  was 
continued  missionary,  and  directed  to  erect  mission 
buildings,  the  government  having  promised  to  pay 


ILLINOIS. 


19 


two-thirds  the  expenses  of  such  improvements.  The 
preacher  went  up  to  his  head-quarters,  taking  a few 
whites,  mostly  his  relatives,  with  him.  These  were 
the  first  white  settlers  between  Chicago  and  Galena. 
At  a place  now  in  the  town  of  Mission,  La  Salle 
County,  on  the  east  side  of  Fox  River,  Walker  be- 
gan to  make  improvements.  He  called  the  place 
SaLcEM;  so  that  in  1827  the  appointment  appears  on 
the  Minutes  as  Salem  Mission.  At  the  close  of  the 
year  the  missionary  made  his  report,  dated  Decem- 
ber, 1826. 

‘^1  have  now  closed  the  business  of  Salem  Mis- 
sion,^^  he  says,  for  the  present  year,  and  beg  leave 
to  report  that,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
of  Bishop  Roberts,  I went,  as  soon  as  possible,  to 
the  Indian  country,  and  have  made  an  agreement 
with  the  Pottawatomies,  through  their  chiefs,  for  a 
section  of  land,  in  conformity  with  the  articles 
adopted  by  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  have  ob- 
tained the  best  titles  which  could  be  obtained  from 
a rude  and  uncultivated  nation,  signed  by  the  inter- 
preter, as  a mutual  friend,  which  instrument  accom- 
panies this  report.  The  place  selected  for  the  estab- 
lishment is  about  one  hundred  miles  above  Fort 
Clark,  and  about  twenty  miles  north  of  the  Illinois 
River,  between  it  and  Fox  River.  The  soil  is  good, 
timber  plenty,  and  the  spot  well  watered.  I have 
progressed  as  far  as  I could  with  my  means  in 
building  and  improving.  I have  built  a house  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  family,  which  consists  of 
eighteen  persons.  The  house  is  fifty  feet  by  twenty, 
two  stories  high,  with  apartments.  It  is  built  of 


20 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


hewed  logs  and  roofed  with  shingles.  We  have  a 
smith  shop,  a convenience  I could  not  dispense  with, 
situated  as  I was  so  remote  from  the  settlements  of 
the  whites ; a poultry-house,  spring-house,  and  other 
conveniences.  I have  forty  acres  of  land  in  culti- 
vation, seven  acres  inclosed  for  pasture,  and  one 
acre  for  garden.  All  has  cost  $2,400.  Our  crops 
are  good — I suppose  worth  $200,  Avhen  secured. 
Hitherto  every  thing  has  been  attended  with  much 
hardship,  hunger,  cold,  and  fatigue  ; and  the  dis- 
tance we  have  had  to  transport  every  thing  has  made 
it  expensive.  But  with  regard  to  the  settlement,  the 
greatest  obstacles  are  overcome.  A few  more  years’ 
labor  will  furnish  a comfortable  home  and  plenty. 
I have  talked  wdth  eight  chiefs,  all  of  whom  are 
highly  gratified  with  the  mission,  and  have  pledged 
themselves  to  use  their  influence  to  support  it  in 
its  religious  character,  but  can  not  legislate  on  the 
subject  of  religion.  That,  they  say,  is  a matter 
between  the  Great  Spirit  and  the  hearts  of  their 
people  [is  this  the  first  announcement  of  the  higher 
law  .^]  ; but  they  will  defend  and  protect  the  mission 
family,  and  if  the  Indians  will  give  up  their  chil- 
dren to  the  care  and  tuition  of  the  missionaries,  they 
will  be  glad  of  it ; but  they  can  not  use  coercion. 
The  school  consists  of  fifteen  native  children — seven 
males,  eight  females — and  two  teachers.  I have 
expended  altogether  in  the  establishment  $2,093. 
The  government  lias  agreed  to  pay  two-thirds  of  the 
expense,  which  would  be  $1,394.  I have  received 
from  the  Chureh  $1,000,  wliich  added  to  the  amount 
promised  by  the  government,  makes  $2,394,  to 


ILLINOIS. 


21 


which  add  |107  in  donations,  and  we  have  |2,401, 
which,  if  the  money  were  drawn  from  the  govern- 
ment, would  leave  |308.  I would  here  state  that  I 
have  built  a horse-mill,  and  have  it  in  operation. 
I have  tried  to  be  economical,  and  am  conscious 
also  of  having  done  the  best  I could.  A door  of 
communication  to  the  hearts  of  these  poor,  neg- 
lected, persecuted  sons  of  men,  before  we  can  expect 
among  them  the  exercise  of  an  evangelical  faith, 
must  be  opened.  We  must  try  and  bring  them  to 
the  habits  of  civilization.^^ 

The  building  mentioned  in  the  above  report  had 
five  rooms.  The  family  consisted  of  Jesse  Walker 
and  wife,  one  teacher,  two  laboring  men,  and  two 
women. 

In  June,  1827,  Peter  Cartwright,  who,  as  pre- 
siding elder  of  Illinois  District,’^  had  the  superin- 
tendence of  the  mission,  writes  : There  are  a great 

many  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  introducing 
the  Gospel  among  the  poor  children  of  the  forest. 
These  difficulties  present  themselves  very  formida- 
bly among  the  Pottawatomie  nation.  They  are  gen- 
erally suspicious  of  the  whites.  Our  school  at  Salem 
remains  small,  but  the  children  learn  very  fast. 
There  are  also  some  recent  signs  of  a work  of  grace 
in  the  hearts  of  one  or  two  adult  natives.  If  we 
had  a religious  interpreter,  or  if  some  old  Indians 
were  changed  in  heart,  we  think  the  work  of  God 
would  rapidly  spread  among  this  wretched  people.^’ 

Cartwright  writes  again,  in  September,  1827, 
saying  : Our  school  yet  remains  small  ; but  the 

children  are  orderly,  learn  fast,  and  give  attention 


22 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


to  the  worship  of  God.  One  adult  native  has  pro- 
fessed a change  of  hearty  and ‘has  been  baptized. 
The  natives  profess  to  be  friendly  to  the  mission^ 
and  assure  us  we  shall  have  more  of  their  children. 
Our  farm-crop^  A^orth  about  $500^  consists  of  corn, 
wheat,  potatoes,  etc.  The  mission  property  is  worth 
about  $500,  but  there  is  yet  a debt  hanging  over  it.^^ 

It  is  probable  the  crops  mentioned  in  1826  and 

1827,  were  the  first  raised  in  the  bounds  of  the 
Rock  River  Conference,  now  the  granary  of  the 
w^orld,  excepting  the  gardens  and  patches  around 
Fort  Dearborn. 

The  Missionary  Report  for  1828  says  : Latterly 

the  prospects  are  brightening ; they  were  discour- 
aging at  first.^^  J.  Walker,  in  a letter  in  April, 

1828,  to  J.  Dcav,  who  served  as  superintendent  that 

year,  and  who  traveled  over  the  conference  collect- 
ing funds,  says  : Our  school  has  increased  to  seven 

boys,  from  six  to  twelve  years  of  age,  four  of  whom 
are  reading  and  writing  ; the  other  three  are  spell- 
ing in  two  syllables.  We  have  four  girls,  over  eight 
and  under  fifteen,  who  are  spelling  in  four  or  five 
syllables,  and  learning  to  read  the  easy  lessons  in 
the  spelling-book,  and  two  small  girls  learning  the 
alphabet  (thirteen  in  all),  and  we  are  expecting  three 
or  four  more.  The  Indians  seem  to  understand 
me  better.  This  is  owing  to  the  new  interpreter 
(the  old  one  has  been  turned  off).  As  to  religion, 
I am  sorry  to  say  I do  not  see  that  blessed  work 
of  God  rising  among  them  that  I have  long  prayed 
for.  They  have  brought  four  packs  of  cards  and 
burnt  them  in  my  fire,  and  some  of  them  have 


ILLINOIS, 


23 


promised  to  quit  their  drinking  and  go  to  work  this 
Spring.  The  Indians  are  ordered  off*  the  govern- 
ment lands^  and  are  returning  to  their  sugar-camp 
in  very  low  spirits.^^  To  Avhich  J.  Dew  adds^  in 
reporting  the  above  letter  : Brother  Walker  in- 

forms me  that  he  has  united  in  marriage  George 
Furkee  (the  present  interpreter^  who  is  a half- 
breed)  and  Kitakokishnoquah^  one  of  his  female 
scholars,  which  is  the  first  Christian  marriage  ever 
celebrated  in  the  nation.  They  have  both  learned 
to  read  and  write.  The  government  has  as  yet  done 
nothing,  the  fund  being  already  exhausted.^^ 

Jesse  Walker  reported  to  the  conference  of  1827 
twenty-five  members,  among  whom  was  one  Indian. 
The  remainder  were  members  of  the  mission  family 
and  a few  whites  settled  near.  In  1828  six  mem- 
bers are  all  that  are  reported.  These  were  the  first 
reports  of  members  within  the  bounds  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference.  Mr.  Walker  continued  as  the 
missionary  until  1828  ; then  Isaac  Scarritt  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  work,  and  this  is  the  last  year  the 
mission  appears  in  connection  with  the  appoint- 
ments. The  government  had  bargained  for  the  In- 
dian lands,  and  by  1829  the  tribe  began  to  scatter, 
moving  across  the  Mississippi,  giving  place  to  the 
inevitable  white  man.  Isaac  Scarritt  was  sent  on 
the  work,  not  so  much  to  labor  as  to  close  up  the 
affairs  of  the  mission.  In  1830  S.  R.  Beggs  was 
appointed  by  the  conference  as  agent  to  close  up 
the  affairs  of  the  concern,  and  settle  its  accounts. 
He  distributed  the  remaining  property  among  the 
various  creditors,  and  thus  ended  the  first  Method- 


^24 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


ist  appointment  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference.  The  mission  premises  have  ever  since 
been  used  as  farm-land.  The  Indian  did  not  re- 
ceive the  Gospel,  but  the  white  man  did. 

Isaac  Scarritt  says  of  Jesse  Walker:  ^^His  ardent 
zeal  to  be  the  instrument  of  good  to  Indians  led  him 
to  view  their  improvement  and  prospects  in  religion 
and  civilization  in  a more  favorable  light  than  could 
be  indorsed  by  others  not  actuated  by  the  same  san- 
guine feelings.^^ 

At  the  time  Isaac  Scarritt  was  sent  to  the  mis- 
sion (in  1828),  James  Walker,  who  afterwards  set- 
tled at  AValker^s  Grove  (Plainfield),  was  living 
where  Ottawa  now  stands,  and  Pierce  Hawley,  Ed- 
mund Weed,  and  J.  Beresford  lived  at  what  was 
afterwards  called  Holderman^s  Grove.  These,  with 
Mr.  Scarritt’s  own  family  at  the  mission,  constituted 
the  whole  of  the  white  population  in  the  region  now 
included  in  the  Rock  River  Conference,  excepting  - 
the  few  whites  then  at  Chicago  and  Galena.  The 
whole  region  was  Indian  country.  While  at  the 
mission  Mr.  Scarritt,  with  his  interpreter,  George 
Furkee,  went  on  a trip  to  Chicago.  This  was  in 
1829,  at  which  time  our  missionary  preached  what 
is  supposed  to  be  the  first  Methodist  sermon  ever 
preached  in  that  tumultuous  city.  On  their  way 
they  lodged  at  an  Indian  village  near  Plainfield. 
A few  days  previous  an  Indian  of  this  village  had 
killed  an  Indian  of  another  village  some  miles  dis- 
tant. According  to  Indian  custom  he  might,  by  a 
ransom,  save  his  life.  The  Indians  of  the  village 
contributed,  and  the  culprit  went  on  his  errand 


ILLINOIS. 


25 


with  eight  or  ten  horses.  According  to  Indian  law, 
his  life  was  forfeited,  and  he  was  every  hour  in 
danger  of  falling  by  the  avenger^s  hand.  If  his 
offer  was  not  accepted,  he  must  quietly  resign  him- 
self to  his  fate.  But  the  gifts  were  accepted,  and 
the  same  night  our  travelers  lodged  in  the  village 
the  redeemed  one  returned  with  joy.  Is  there  a 
place  in  this  world  where  the  poet^s  saying  is  belied : 

“ In  the  corrupted  currents  of  the  world, 

Offense’s  gilded  hand  may  shove  by  justice?” 

3 


26 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAF>TER  II. 

INTRODUCTION  OF  METHODISM  INTO  GALENA. 
ALENA  has  the  credit  of  receiving  the  first 


Methodist  preacher  ever  sent  to  white  settlers 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  This 
occurred  in  1828,  at  a time  when  the  Salem  Mission 
on  Fox  River  was  being  closed  up.  The  first  rec- 
ord on  the  Minutes  coneerning  this  matter  is  in 
1828,  and  is  as  follows  : 

Illinois  Conference ; . . . Illinois  District, 
Peter  Cartwright,  P.  E. ; ...  Galena,  John  Dew ; 
Pottawatomie  Mission,  at  Salem,  Isaac  Scarritt/^ 
Mr.  Cartwright  says  that  though  he  several  times 
undertook  to  visit  Galena  while  it  was  on  his  dis- 
trict, he  never  reached  the  place. 

Previous  to  the  commencement  of  a town  in 
Chicago  in  1830,  Illinois  was  settled  almost  entirely 
from  the  South,  or  from  Ohio  and  Indiana,  so  that 
as  the  inhabitants  came  up  the  streams,  which  were 
the  leading  landmarks  in  the  early  day,  Methodism 
came  with  them  ; and  in  following  the  appoint- 
ments, we  must  follow  the  map  from  south  to  north. 
At  the  time  when  the  country  in  the  bounds  of  the 
Rock  River  Conference  began  to  be  settled,  there 
were  two  points  of  attraction  : one  the  new  lake 
port  at  Chicago,  the  other  the  lead-mines  around 


GALENA. 


27 


Galena.  The  country  around  Galena  was  settled 
first ; but  by  1832  Chicago  began  to  outdo  the  lead- 
mine  country.  The  early  settlements  and  earliest 
Methodist  appointments  were  formed  between  the 
Lake  and  Fox  River,  and  between  the  Mississippi 
and  Rock  River. 

The  region  of  country  in  which  Galena  stands 
was  purchased  from  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  in  1804, 
but  was  re-ceded  to  the  Indians  in  1816,  with 
certain  lands  reserved,  because  of  the  supposed  ex- 
istence of  lead-ore.  On  the  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
under  the  French  and  Spanish  governments,  mines 
had  been  worked  for  many  years.  In  1819  the 
once  famous  Buck  Lead,  on  Fever  River,  was  dis- 
covered and  worked  by  the  Indians.  In  that  year 
the  first  white  settlers  went  to  the  vicinity  of  Ga- 
lena, established  trading-posts,  and  engaged  in 
smelting  ore.  Jesse  W.  Small,  M.  Bouthillier,  and 
Dr.  Muir  were  the  earliest  white  settlers.  In  1820 
A.  T.  Van  Meter  arrived  there.  In  1821  the 
United  States  War  Department  took  charge  of  the 
lead-mines,  and  under  the  new  regulations  they 
were  more  fully  and  profitably  worked.  This  ob- 
ject was  secured  by  granting  five-year  leases  to 
miners  and  smelters.  At  this  time  (1821)  there  was 
but  one  house,  and  that  a log-cabin,  and  one  white 
resident,  on  the  present  side  of  Galena.  This  set- 
tler was  a Frenchman,  the  Bouthillier  mentioned 
above.  Most  of  the  miners  returned  to  their  homes 
South,  Winters,  so  that  it  was  a long  time  ere  there 
were  many  permanent  settlers.  There  was  an  In- 
dian village  belonging  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes — 


28 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


united  tribes,  among  whom  Black  Hawk  afterwards 
arose — near  the  site  of  the  Commercial  House 
(1861),  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Franklin  Streets. 

The  bluffs  were  there,  and  the  grassy  plat  border- 
ing the  river.  Stout  bushes  and  stunted  oaks  and 
wild  vines  grew  on  the  ground  where  houses,  streets, 
and  gardens  are.^^ 

In  1823  Mr.  James  Johnson,  of  Kentucky,  who 
had  leased  a large  section  of  mine-land,  went  to 
Galena,  accompanied  by  two  companies  of  United 
States  regulars,  for  protection.  He  at  once  engaged 
in  the  mining  business  on  Fever  River.  In  1824 
Lieutenant  Martin  Thomas  was  appointed  agent 
of  the  lead-mines.  The  same  year  Captain  Orrin 
Smith,  Mr.  Meeker,  and  Harris  arrived.  The  name 
Galena  was  not  given  to  the  gathering  cluster  of 
buildings  until  1827,  when  Lieutenant  Thomas  laid 
out  the  town.  From  its  mineral  resources,  he  gave 
it  the  name  it  still  bears — Galena  (lead  ore).  In 
1824  it  was  called  The  Point  by  the  English, 
and  La  Pointe  by  the  French,  and  sometimes 

Fredericks  Point,^^  from  a man  by  the  name  of 
Frederic,  who  resided  below  Shot-tower  Hill.kk 
This  year  (1824)  there  were  two  smelting  furnaces, 
and  in  1825  five  of  them.  In  1826  there  were 
about  twenty  log  cabins  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
inhabitants.  In  1828  there  were  one  hundred 
houses,  with  eight  hundred  inhabitants. 

During  these  years  there  was  little  that  resem- 
bled religion  among  the  early  settlers.  The  French 
very  nearly  forgot  the  blessed  Virgin  and  their 
God,  if  they  ever  knew  him,  when  they  settled  in 


GALENA, 


29 

that  leaden  Eldorado,  and  the  true  idea  of  Chris- 
tianity was  little  known. 

The  first  sermon  in  Galena,  so  far  as  is  now 
known,  was  preached  in  1827,  by  a Baptist  preacher, 
who  was  passing  through  the  place.  His  name  and 
residence  are  not  known.  He  preached  but  once, 
and  passed  on.  This  was  two  years  before  the  first 
sermon  in  Chicago.  In  1828  an  Episcopal  clergy- 
man, a chaplain  from  one  of  the  upper  forts, 
preached  one  sermon. 

The  importance  of  the  place  as  a mission  field 
had  been  felt  by  residents  from  the  East  and  South, 
and  in  1828  the  first  missionary  appeared  on  the 
ground.  This  was  John  Dew,  appointed  to  the  Ga- 
lena Mission  in  1828.  Mr.  Dew  thus  became  the 
first  preacher  to  the  whites  in  Rock  River  Confer- 
ence, and  the  third  who  labored  in  our  bounds.  In 
April,  1829,  the  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  a Presbyterian 
minister,  appointed  by  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
went  to  Galena  to  open  up  the  work  in  behalf  of  his 
Church.  A Methodist  local  preacher,  one  of  a class 
who  have  often  been  pioneers  of  Methodism,  was 
already  on  the  ground,  and  had  commenced  regular 
preaching.  Mr.  Kent  at  once  went  to  work  as  an 
ardent  laborer,  and  Galena  owes  much  to  his  untir- 
ing care.  He  preached  his  first  sermon  in  an  un- 
finished log  building  on  Bench  Street,  and  after- 
wards occupied  the  dining-room  of  a tavern  situated 
on  Main  Street.  He  soon  purchased  an  old  log 
building,  which  had  been  used  as  a court-house, 
which  he  fitted  up  for  a church  and  school-room. 
In  this  a school  was  at  once  commenced,  and  in  the 


30 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Summer  of  1829^  while  Chicago  was  yet  non  esty 
Mr.  Kent  organized  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the 
town.  In  the  Galena  Advertiser  (a  paper  edited  by 
Dr.  Newhall)  of  December  14,  1829,  there  is  a card 
from  Mr.  Kent,  acknowledging  the  aid  he  had  re- 
ceived in  repairing  his  church,  and  announcing  that 
on  the  next  Sabbath  it  would  be  opened  for  Sun- 
day-school at  9.30  A.  M.,  and  for  preaching  at 
eleven  o^clock. 

The  history  of  Methodism  properly  begins  in 
the  Fall  of  1828,  although  before  that  time  there 
were  resident  Methodists,  and,  as  before  observed, 
a local  preacher  on  the  ground. 

As  soon  as  John  Dew  received  his  appointment 
in  1828  he  hastened  up  to  his  new  circuit.  He  vis- 
ited nearly  all  the  mining  settlements,  and  marked 
out  his  work.  There  were  many  English  miners 
on  the  ground,  who  gladly  availed  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  to  have  their  children  baptized.  One 
of  the  important  points  visited  was  Gratiot’s  Grove. 
It  was  the  custom  in  those  days  for  numbers  of 
people,  chiefly  teamsters,  to  crowd  into  the  mining 
country  from  Southern  Illinois  to  spend  the  Sum- 
mer, and  then  to  return  South  to  their  homes  in 
Winter.  For  this  reason  little  could  be  done  in 
the  Winter,  so  that  Mr.  Dew  returned  to  his  fam- 
ily, which  he  had  left  in  the  South  when  the  crowd 
of  adventurers  returned  in  the  Fall.  He  returned 
to  his  work  in  April,  1829,  and  arrived  one  week 
later  than  Mr.  Kent.  This  fact  has  given  Mr. 
Kent  the  credit  of  being  the  first  preacher  on  the 
ground,  while  Mr.  Dew  was  really  six  months  ahead 


GALENA, 


31 


of  him.  We  are  not  able  to  report  the  time  when 
the  first  class  was  formed  at  Galena ; but  J ohn  Dew 
reported  six  members  at  the  conference  of  1829, 
which  were  the  first  white  members  reported  from 
our  bounds,  unless  we  except  the  members  con- 
nected with  the  mission  at  Salem,  on  Fox  River. 
These  first  Galena  members  were,  as  far  as  is 
known.  Reeves  Carmack,  and  probably  his  wife, 
George  Davison,  his  wife  Janette,  and  a blind 
daughter  named  Sally. 

Reeves  Carmack  was  a local  preacher  from 
Southern  Illinois,  who  went  to  Galena  at  a very 
early  period,  and  who  was  probably  an  ordained 
man.  He  was  a member  of  the  first  class  at  Peoria. 
In  the  old  Galena  Advertiser,  from  1828  down  to 
1833,  there  are  frequent  notices  of  Mr.  Carmack^s 
performance  of  marriage  ceremonies.  He  was  hon- 
orably mentioned  as  late  as  1861  by  the  oldest  cit- 
izens of  Galena,  as  a plain,  generous  man,  not  free 
from  faults,  but  who  possessed  to  a great  extent  the 
confidence  of  the  people.  In  later  years  the  poor 
man  fell  from  his  position  of  honor  f but,  after  re- 
moving from  Galena,  he  reformed,  and  returned  to 
the  Church,  a penitent  man ; and,  so  far  as  is 
known,  maintained  a Christian  character  until  his 
death.  George  Davidson  and  family  went  to  Ga- 
lena in  1827  with  Dr.  Newhall,  who  speaks  in  the 
warmest  terms  of  their  piety  and  consistency. 

In  the  Advertiser  of  Saturday,  May  23,  1829,  is 
the  first  notice  we  know  of  concerning  Mr.  Dew^s 
labors.  We  read  : Divine  service  will  be  per- 

formed by  Rev.  Mr.  Kent,  at  lOj  A.  M.  to-morrow, 


32 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  by  Rev.  Mr.  Dew  in  the  afternoon.^^  Mr. 
Dew^s  labors  were  not  confined  to  Galena ; but  as 
missionary  he  traveled  in  every  direction.  In  the 
Advertiser  of  August  15,  1829,  a two-days’  meeting 
is  announced,  to  be  held  by  Rev.  J.  Dew,  at  Mr. 
Ahab  Bean’s,  on  Fever  River,  about  twelve  miles 
from  this  place,  on  Saturday  and  Sabbath,  August 
21  and  22.” 

Governor  Reynolds  visited  Galena  this  year,  and 
in  his  ‘‘  Life  and  Times  ” says : I visited  Galena 

in  1829,  and  found  a most  singular  and  mysterious 
medley  of  people  located  in  that  place.  People 
from  all  quarters  of  the  earth  had  flocked  there  on 
account  of  the  celebrity  of  the  lead-mines.  I pre- 
sume every  State  in  the  Union  w^as  represented  in 
the  population  of  this  town  Galena,  and  the  mining 
districts  were  more  moral  than  might  have  been  ex- 
pected among  such  heterogeneous  masses.  I knew 
at  that  day  there  was  a great  amount  of  intelligence 
in  Galena,  and  society  existed  in  that  town  at  this 
early  day  as  enlightened  and  as  polished  as  will  be 
generally  found  in  any  settlement,  old  or  new,  of 
the  same  size.  But  still  many  indulged  in  habits 
not  recognized  in  any  part  of  the  Decalogue.  I 
could  hear  and  see  within  a small  compass,  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  preaching,  dancing,  cards,  billiards, 
and  other  games,  together  with  an  occasional  horse- 
race on  the  flat  ground  between  the  town  and  river. 
Mr.  Kent  was  in  the  pulpit,  and  the  dancers  on  the 
floor  of  Mr.  Durant,  a Frenchman  from  the  settle- 
ment of  Lord  Selkirk  in  British  America,  at  the 
same  time,  on  the  Sabbath.” 


GALENA. 


33 


Such  was  the  motley  company  of  early  settlers 
to  whom  Mr.  Kent  and  John  Dew  strove  to  min- 
ister the  Word  of  life. 

At  the  session  of  the  Illinois  Conference  in  Sep- 
tember, 1829,  Mr.  Dew  was  stationed  at  Lebanon, 
in  Southern  Illinois,  and  never  afterwards  had  an 
appointment  in  our  bounds.  He  had  superintended 
the  Salem  mission,  and  collected  funds  for  its  sup- 
port for  one  year,  and  was  at  Galena  most  of  one 
year.  This  is  his  only  connection  with  the  Rock 
River  Conference  ; but  as  the  first  preacher  to  white 
settlers  he  must  fill  no  unworthy  niche  in  our  gal- 
lery of  worthies. 

Benjamin  C.  Stevenson  succeeded  John  Dew, 
in  1829.  At  the  conference  of  1830  he  reported 
twelve  members — a gain  of  six  in  a year.  Small 
are  the  rills  that  make  rivers ! 

In  1829  a new  appointment  appeared  on  the  list. 
It  was  Fox  River  Mission,  Jesse  Walker,  mis- 
sionary, making  two  appointments  in  our  bounds, 
both  in  Sangamon  District,  with  Peter  Cartwright 
presiding  elder.  On  leaving  Salem  Mission  in  1828 
Jesse  Walker  was  sent  to  Peoria.  He  now  returned 
to  the  field  of  his  many  discouragements  and  de- 
feats, to  begin  his  labors  among  a more  promising 
class  of  people  and  in  a more  productive  field. 
Already  white  settlers  had  crossed  the  Illinois,  and 
found  their  way  up  Fox  River,  building  their  log 
cabins  in  the  shade  of  the  groves  that  beautify,  like 
oases,  the  broad  prairie-lands.  To  these  Brother 
Walker,  the  veteran  of  many  a hard-fought  field, 
now  turned  his  attention,  and  as  an  index  of  the 


34 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


charge  upon  which  he  labored  we  may  mention  that 
he  reported  seventy-five  members  to  the  conference 
of  1830.  Mr.  Walker  settled  at  a place  called 
Walker^s  Grove,  from  himself  and  family  connec- 
tions, who  settled  there  with  him  within  a half-mile 
of  the  present  site  of  Plainfield.  He  organized  a 
class  at  this  place,  consisting  of  nine  members.  They 
were  his  wife,  Susannah  Walker,  James  Walker  and 
wife,  Timothy  B.  Clark  and  wife,  Edmund  Weed 
and  wife,  and  Brother  Fish  and  wife.  There  were 
but  one  or  two  preaching-places  on  the  circuit,  and 
the  preachePs  main  business  was  to  look  out  the 
ground  and  visit  the  scattered  settlers.  This  he 
was  well  fitted  to  do,  for  pioneering  had  been  the 
business  of  his  life. 


CHICAGO. 


35 


CHAPTKR  III 


CHICAGO. 


HE  appointments  of  the  half  decade,  from  1830 


to  1835,  which  will  occupy  our  attention  in 
this  and  one  or  two  succeeding  chapters,  were  as 
follows,  and  all  in  the  Illinois  Conference,  the  new 
being  marked  in  small  caps : 

1830.  — Sangamon  District,  P.  Cartwright,  P.  E.; 
Galena  Mission,  Smith  L.  Eobinson;  Chicago 
Mission,  Jesse  Walker. 

1831.  — Mission  Distkict,  J.  Walker,  Superin- 
tendent ; Des  Plaines  Mission,  J. Walker ; Chicago, 
Stephen  R.  Beggs  ; Galena,  S.  L.  Robinson. 

1832.  — Chicago  District,  J.  Walker,  Superin- 
tendent; Chicago  Mission,  J.  Walker;  Des  Plaines 
Mission,  S.  R.  Beggs;  Quincy  District,  P.  Cart- 
wright, P.  E. ; Galena  Mission,  John  T.  Mitchell. 

1833.  — Chicago  District,  John  Sinclair,  P.  E.; 
Chicago  Mission,  J.  Walker;  Des  Plaines  Mission,  S. 
R.  Beggs;  Ottawa  Mission,  Wm.  Royal;  Ga- 
lena and  Dubuque  Mission,  Barton  Randle,  J. 
T.  Mitchell. 

1834.  — Chicago  District,  John  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; 
Chicago  Mission,  J.  T.  Mitchell ; Des  Plaines,  David 
Blackwell;  Ottawa  Mission,Wm.  Royal ; Bureau 
Mission,  S.  R.  Beggs ; Galena  Mission  District, 


36 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Hooper  Crews,  Superintendent ; Galena,  H.  Crews; 
Buffalo  Grove  Mission,  L.  A.  Sugg. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a point  where  Chicago, 
the  great  center,  demands  our  attention.  The  first 
white  men  who  ever  visited  the  region  between 
Ottawa  and  Chicago  were  Marquette  and  Joliet, 
two  French  Jesuit  missionaries,  who  explored  this 
region  in  1662  and  1663.  Hennepin  and  Lasalle, 
the  first  a priest,  the  second  an  explorer,  followed  a 
few  years  later.  These  visits  led  France  to  conceive 
the  scheme  of  extending  her  possessions  from  New 
Orleans  to  Canada,  which  two  extremes  were  then 
French  possessions.  This  claim  was  maintained  for 
an  hundred  years,  and  only  dispelled  when  General 
Wolfe,  in  1759,  stood  at  Quebec,  on  the  Heights  of 
Abraham.  The  war  of  the  Revolution  gave  the 
country  to  the  United  States.  During  the  Revolu- 
tion, Patrick  Henry,  a State-rights  man,  then  gov- 
ernor of  Virginia,  sent  out  an  expedition  to  the 
forts  of  Southern  Illinois  and  Indiana,  and  taking 
the  country,  Virginia  laid  claim  to  all  the  north- 
west, and  Illinois  was  organized  as  a county  of 
Virginia  in  1778. 

In  1784  Virginia  ceded  to  the  United  States 
Government  all  the  North-west  Territory,  and  in 
1790  General  St.  Clair  organized  the  county  which 
bears  his  name,  and  within  which  the  first  American 
settlements  were  made,  and  where,  in  1793,  a Meth- 
odist class  was  organized.  In  1809  Illinois  was 
organized  as  a Territory,  with  Ninian  Edwards  as 
governor.  The  first  Legislature  convened  in  No- 
vember, 1 81 2,  at  Kaskaskia,  an  old  French  town, 


CHICAGO. 


37 


the  upper  house  consisting  of  five  members,  the 
lower  of  seven.  After  a session  of  ten  or  twelve 
days  they  adjourned.  Nathaniel  Pope  was  elected 
as  the  first  representative  in  Congress.  The  north- 
ern line  of  the  State  ran  due  west  from  the  southern 
bend  of  Lake  Michigan,  leaving  Chicago  in  Wis- 
consin. Judge  Pope  seeing  the  importance  of  a 
lake  port  to  the  State  procured  a change  of  the  line 
to  its  present  position,  throwing  nearly  all  the  ter- 
ritory now  in  the  Rock  River  Conference  into 
Illinois. 

In  1818  the  people  organized  a State  govern- 
ment, and  Illinois  was  admitted  to  the  Union,  hav- 
ing about  thirty  thousand  inhabitants.  Shadrach 
Bond  was  the  first  governor  of  the  State. 

In  1804  the  government  established  a fort  at 
Chicago,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  on  South  Side, 
calling  it  Fort  Dearborn,  and  garrisoning  it  with  a 
company  ot  fifty  men,  with  three  pieces  of  artillery. 
The  history  of  Chicago  begins  at  this  date.  The 
garrison  continued  quiet  until  the  War  of  1812, 
when,  fearing  that  so  isolated  a position  could  not 
be  maintained.  General  Hull  ordered  its  evacuation. 
The  fort  was  well  supplied  with  provisions  and  am- 
munition, and  could,  if  necessary,  have  sustained  a 
long  siege.  The  whisky  was  thrown  into  the  river, 
the  powder  into  wells,  the  provisions  and  other  ef- 
fects distributed  among  the  Indians.  On  the  15th 
of  August,  1812,  the  little  band  took  up  their  line 
of  march  for  Fort  Wayne.  When  a mile  and  a half 
from  the  fort  the  Pottawatamies  fell  upon  the  com- 
pany, and  after  a severe  fight,  the  whole  band  sur- 


38 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


rendered.  Nearly  all  were  killed  either  in  battle, 
or  massacred  after  the  surrender.  Fifty -two  in  all 
were  committed  to  the  burial  ground,  and  their 
graves  were  to  be  seen  as  late  as  1840.  This 
massacre  took  place  near  where  the  Trinity  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  now  stands.  The  writer 
often,  previous  to  1840,  visited  the  graves  of 
the  slain.  Perhaps  a third  of  the  band  were 
saved  alive. 

In  1816  the  fort  was  rebuilt,  and  was  not  again 
without  soldiers  until  1836,  when  the  last  body  of 
troops  ever  stationed  there  left  for  Green  Bay. 
Relics  of  that  old  fort  were  to  be  seen  on  the  old 
ground  as  late  as  1860. 

The  first  regular  white  settlers  were  principally 
Indian  traders,  many  of  whom  remained  as  perma- 
nent settlers  after  the  Indians  left  the  country.  Mr. 
John  H.  Kinzie  was  born  in  Canada,  opposite  De- 
troit, and  was  brought  to  Chicago  by  his  parents  in 
1804.  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard  went  to  the  place  in 
1818  in  the  employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company. 
Neither  of  these  old  settlers  settled  in  the  town 
permanently  until  1833,  Mr.  Kinzie  passing  most 
of  the  time  previous  at  Green  Bay.  Richard  J. 
Hamilton  arrived  in  April,  1831.  It  is  thought  by 
some  that  a daughter  of  Colonel  Hamilton,  Ellen, 
by  name,  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  place. 
She  was  born  in  Fort  Dearborn  in  1832.  But  there 
must  have  been  births  in  old  Fort  Dearborn  long 
before,  for  there  were  children  murdered  in  1812, 
and  a daughter  of  Russel  Heacock  was  born  in 
1829.  George  W.  Dole  arrived  in  May,  1831,  and 


cmcAOO. 


39 


P.  F.  W.  Peck  in  July,  1831.  Archibold  Clybourne, 
who  gave  name  to  Clybourne  Avenue,  settled  on  the 
North  Branch,  three  miles  from  the  forks  of  the 
river,  in  1823.  In  1818  there  were  two  white  fam- 
ilies in  the  place;  John  Kinzie  lived  on  the  North 
Side,  near  State  Street,  and  Antoine  Oulimette,  a 
French  trader,  who  had  married  an  Indian  woman^ 
lived  on  the  North  Side  near  Dearborn  Street.  At 
that  time  a small  vessel  came  around  from  Buffalo 
each  Summer  with  provisions  for  the  fort. 

The  history  of  the  present  city  is  connected  with 
the  construction  of  the  canal,  now  little  thought  of, 
but  in  the  early  day  a thing  of  world  wide  fame. 
The  opening  of  a canal  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the 
Illinois  River  was  discussed  in  the  papers  as  early 
as  1814.  In  the  first  State  Legislature,  in  1818,  the 
subject  was  under  discussion,  and  in  1823  a board 
of  canal  commissioners  was  appointed,  and  in  1824 
the  route  surveyed.  At  this  time  the  Sangamon 
River  was  the  northern  boundary  of  civilization. 
Daniel  P.  Cook,  the  member  of  Congress  from  the 
State,  and  after  whom  Cook  County,  organized  in 
1831,  was  named,  engineered  the  canal  project 
through  Congress  in  1827,  and  procured  a grant  of 
land,  including  every  alternate  section  for  six  miles 
each  side  of  the  canal.  The  site  of  Chicago  was 
nearly  all  canal  land.  The  commissioners  employed 
James  Thomson  to  lay  out  the  town  of  Chicago  in 
1829,  and  his  first  map  bears  date,  August  4,  1830. 
The  work  on  the  canal  was  not  commenced,  how- 
ever, until  1836,  but  the  fact  of  the  scheme  being 
on  hand  caused  settlers  to  come  into  the  region  from 


40 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


1830  in  a steady  flow,  until  the  rich  country  was 
settled  and  developed. 

The  families  residing  in  Chicago  in  1829,  at  the 
time  the  first  sermon  we  can  get  any  account  of 
was  preached  were  James  Kinzie;  Doctor  Wolcott, 
Indian  agent,  who  died  in  1830,  and  son-in-law  of 
Mr.  Kinzie  living  on  the  east  side  of  Clark  Street 
on  the  North  Side ; John  Miller,  who  kept  a tavern 
at  the  Point  on  the  West  Side,  in  his  own  log 
house,  and  who  lived  in  Lake  County  in  1856,  and 
John  B.  Beaubien,  on  Michigan  Avenue,  on  the 
South  Side  near  the  Central  Depot.  Besides  these 
there  were  some  three  or  four  Indian  traders  living 
in  log  cabins  on  the  West  Side,  and  the  officers  and 
soldiers  connected  with  Fort  Dearborn — generally 
about  fifty  in  number.  The  abrupt  banks  of  the 
river  made  them  a fine  abode  of  muskrats,  minks, 
and  skunks.  The  Indians  had  long  called  the 
neighborhood  Che-gaug-o,  from  Chegaug — a skunk. 
This  name  the  whites  applied  to  their  new  town. 
Chicago  stands  to-day,  with  its  grand  magnificence, 
fifty-six  years  on  its  eventful  history. 

The  first  steamboat  that  made  a trip  around  the 
lakes,  according  to  some  accounts,  was  the  Thomas 
Jefferson^  which  cast  her  anchors  in  the  lake  off 
Chicago  on  the  eighth  day  of  June,  1835.  The 
writer  of  this  unpretending  history  was  a youngster 
among  the  crowd  of  passengers  landed  by  scows  on 
the  docks  at  George  W.  Dole^s  warehouse  from  that 
steamboat. 

Lake  Michigan  was  skirted  all  around  its  south- 
western shores  with  black-oak  sand-ridges.  The 


CHICAGO. 


41 


country  was  low  and  level,  and  here  and  there  slug- 
gish streams,  mere  bayous,  whose  banks  generally 
were  skirted  with  prairie,  put  into  the  lake.  At 
Chicago  one  of  these  sluggish  streams  broke  through 
the  sand-banks,  and  poured  its  dark  malarious  wat- 
ers, from  all  the  swamps  of  the  immediate  country, 
into  the  lake.  The  river,  starting  from  its  mouth, 
extends  a half-mile  west,  and  then  parts  into  the 
north  and  south  branches,  which  extend  for  miles 
towards  the  north  and  south,  making  the  most  con- 
venient natural  canals  any  city  can  boast.  The 
prairie  to  the  west  was  low,  wet  clay  land,  left  to 
a late  day  to  the  prairie-grass,  whither  went  the 
mowers  each  Summer  to  cut  the  wild  prairie  hay 
within  six  miles  of  the  center  of  the  city.  The 
river  was  originally  about  two  hundred  feet  wide 
and  twenty  feet  deep.  The  shores  were  so  abrupt 
vessels  could  lie  along  the  banks  within  a plank’s 
length  of  the  shore,  which  rose  about  six  feet  above 
the  river. 

The  city  commenced  its  growth  in  three  clus- 
ters,— one  at  the  forks  or  Point  ” on  the  west  side, 
another  near  the  fort,  and  the  third  on  the  north 
side,  near  the  lake.  These  clusters  continued  to  be 
separate  until  about  1840,  when  they  became  one. 
The  lots  between  the  Point  and  the  fort  were  of 
little  value,  and  for  a time  the  Point  seemed  to  have 
the  ascendency.  The  richer  part  of  the  town,  how- 
ever, was  on  the  north  side,  near  the  lake.  There, 
in  1836,  a fine  hotel,  the  Lake  House,  and  the  St. 
James  Church  were  built,  and  there  arose  the  first 

private  residence  of  any  size.  The  timber  skirted 

4 


42 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


the  river  nearly  to  its  month,  and  the  north  side 
was  entirely  covered  with  woods,  when  the  town 
was  laid  out.  ' The  writer  cut  pea-bushes  and  gath- 
ered hazel-nuts  near  the  ground  occupied  by  the 
Board  of  Trade  buildings  as  late  as  1836.  In  that 
year  the  ground  on  the  corner  of  Clark  and  Wash- 
ington Streets  was  covered  with  stumps  and  bushes, 
and  lynx  and  wild-cats  were  killed  in  the  woods  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Rock  Island  depot,  on  Van 
Buren  Street,  in  1834.  In  one  day,  in  October  of 
that  year,  one  bear  and  forty  wolves  were  killed  be- 
tween the  Forks  and  Bridgeport.  The  city  was 
built  on  a clay  bed,  and  up  to  1843  teams  were  often 
mired  down  on  Lake  Street. 

In  1831  two  vessels  arrived  during  the  Summer, 
and  were  unloaded  from  their  anchorage  off  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  Out  of  Fort  Dearborn  in  1833 
there  were  about  thirty-five  houses,  mostly  logs, 
with  one  hundred  and  thirteen  inhabitants.  The 
first  frame  building  was  built  by  G.  W.  Dole  in 
1832,  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Dearborn  and 
South  Water  Streets  ; the  first  brick  was  a dwelling- 
house,  built  in  1833,  on  Monroe  Street,  between 
State  and  Clark.  The  citizens  procured  news  from 
the  outside  world  by  sending  a half-breed  Indian, 
once  in  two  weeks,  around  to  Niles,  Michigan,  to 
procure  all  the  papers,  old  and  new,  that  could  be 
found.  The  trip  was  made  on  foot,  and  usually  oc- 
cupied a week.  A debating  society  was  formed, 
presided  over  by  John  B.  Beaubien,  and  an  occa- 
sional religious  meeting  held  in  the  fort,  conducted 
by  Mark  Noble,  with  some  four  or  five  others,  who 


CHICAGO, 


43 


were  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  In  July,  1831,  the  schooner  Telegraph, 
from  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  sailed  by  Captains  John  and 
Joseph  Naper,  arrived  at  Chicago  with  a number  of 
families,  among  them  the  Napers’  own  families,  the 
most  of  whom  settled  near  Naperville.  P.  F.  W. 
Peck,  with  an  assortment  of  merchandise,  was  on 
this  vessel.  Mr.  Peck  put  up  a log  store,  and  be- 
gan selling  goods.  The  building  was  near  the  Cen- 
tral Depot.  In  1833  he  put  up  a frame  building 
(the  second  frame  in  town),  built  of  black  walnut 
and  oak  lumber,  hauled  from  WalkePs  Mill,  at 
Walker’s  Grove,  forty  miles  away.  This  building, 
long  after  used  as  a store,  was  on  the  south-east 
corner  of  South  Water  and  La  Salle  Streets.  The 
lot,  eighty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  cost 
eighty-four  dollars.  About  this  time  two  free  fer- 
ries were  established,  one  across  the  North  Branch, 
the  other  across  the  South  Branch  of  the  river. 
Mark  Beaubien,  the  ferryman,  neglected  his  ferries 
for  horse-races,  and  was  ordered  by  the  court  to 
ferry  the  citizens  across  the  river  from  daylight 
in  the  morning  until  dark,  without  stopping 

The  first  county  court  was  held  in  1831  in  ^^the 
brick  house  in  Fort  Dearborn,  in  the  lower  room  of 
said  house.”  The  public  expenses  of  Cook  County, 
which  included  Dupage,  Lake,  McHenry,  Will, 
and  Iroquois  Counties  for  1832  were  $252.35; 
receipts  from  licenses  and  taxes  to  pay  the 
same,  $278.28.  In  the  Spring  of  1833  Congress 
appropriated  $30,000  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing a harbor  at  Chicago.  The  Chicago  Democrat 


44 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


of  April  30,  1834,  says,  hundred  emigrants 

arrived  in  the  last  ten  days/^  The  first  vessel  en- 
tered the  harbor  June  11,  1831,  and  during  that 
Summer  one  hundred  and  fifty  vessels  discharged 
their  cargo  at  Chicago,  and  as  late  as  1835  most  of 
the  provisions  used  in  the  city  and  surrounding 
country  were  shipped  from  Ohio.  Our  family  used 
potatoes  in  1835  at  Batchellor’s  Grove,  brought  by 
vessel  from  Cleveland. 

In  1834  the  votes  of  Cook  County  summed  up 
five  hundred  and  twenty-eight.  The  county  at  this 
time  included  Will  and  Dupage. 

The  St.  James  Episcopal  Church,  on  the  North 
Side,  was  built  in  1836.  There  was  a small  Cath- 
olic chapel  a block  east  of  the  Tremont  House,  on 
State  Street,  between  Lake  and  Randolph  Streets. 
The  Presbyterians  had  a house,  about  twenty  by 
thirty  feet  in  size,  seated  with  school-benches,  which 
served  as  church  and  school-house,  where  the  pres- 
ent writer  learned  many  of  the  elements  of  an  ed- 
ucation, and  often  sat  with  aching  bones  through 
the  long,  dull  Sabbath  services.  The  Presbyterian 
Church  was  organized  May  12,  1833,  by  Rev.  Jer- 
emiah Porter,  a chaplain  of  Fort  Dearborn,  its 
members  consisting  mainly  of  officers  and  soldiers 
of  Fort  Dearborn.  The  church  was  built  in  1834, 
fronting  north  on  the  alley  west  side  of  Clark  Street, 
between  Lake  and  Randolph  Streets.  The  Baptist 
Church  was  organized  by  Elder  A.  B.  Freeman  with 
twelve  members,  October  12,  1833,  and  a house  of 
worship  built  in  1834.  The  town  (in  1836)  sup- 
ported three  schools,  and  rooms  were  hired  here  and 


CHICAGO. 


45 


there  for  school  purposes.  We  have  mentioned  one 
school ; there  was  another  at  the  Pointy  taught^  in  a 
room  about  twelve  feet  square^  by  a Mr.  Wakeman, 
who  afterwards  settled  at  Bloomingdale.  The  high- 
est classes  read  in  the  New  Testament,  this  being 
the  chief  Reader. In  the  Winter  of  1837  the  only 
school  on  the  West  Side  was  kept  by  Mr.  King,  in 
a dwelling  north  of  Lake,  on  Canal  Street.  The 
writer  attended  these  West  Side  schools  in  those  days. 

The  Indians  had  generally  left  the  country,  but 
the  annual  payment  for  1836  was  made  in  Chicago, 
and  five  thousand  Indians  assembled  for  allowances. 
The  commissioner  on  pay  day  held  his  office  in  an 
old  frame  house  on  the  prairie,  between  Washington 
and  Randolph  Streets,  about  a quarter  of  a mile 
from  the  river  west  of  Halstead  Street. 

Some  forty  miles  to  the  north  was  a little  burg 
of  four  or  five  houses,  called  Little  Fort,  now  the 
charming  Waukegan.  Twelve  miles  north  of  the 
town,  on  the  Milwaukee  Road,  was  a prominent 
tavern  kept  by  a Dutchman,  where  dancing  and 
whisky  drinking  were  the  chief  employments.  This 
place  was  known  far  and  near  as  Dutchman’s  Point. 
That  Dutch  tavern-keeper,  John  Plank  by  name. 
Was  afterwards  a German  presiding  elder  in  the 
Rock  River  Conference. 

Ninety  miles  to  the  westward  a quiet  man  ferried 
the  traveler  from  the  south  to  Galena,  over  Rock 
River,  and  everywhere  Dixon’s  Ferry”  was  a 
noted  point.  That  is  Dixon  now.  Juliet  (now 
Joliet)  and  Ottawa  were  small  villages  to  the 
south-west. 


46 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Thus  from  feeble  beginnings  has  arisen  the  great 
city,  the  center  of  the  grain  trade,  of  railways,  of 
churches,  and  of  colleges.  We  have  detained  the 
reader  too  long  in  reading  of  these  secular  in- 
terests— turn  we  to  the  religious  interests  of  the 
great  emporium. 


CHICAGO. 


47 


CHAPTKR  IV. 

INTRODUCTION  OF  METHODISM  INTO  CHICAGO. 

E have  sketched  the  secular  progress  of  Chi- 


cago for  the  purpose  of  giving  a view  of  the 
field  opened  up  for  religious  effort.  We  now  pro- 
ceed to  sketch  the  religious  side  of  the  eventful 
history  of  the  gorgeous  city. 

It  is  very  likely  that  the  companies  of  United 
States  soldiers  that  from  time  to  time  occupied  Fort 
Dearborn  were  sometimes  accompanied  by  chaplains, 
and  for  aught  we  can  learn  there  may  have  been 
preaching  there  as  early  as  1804  or  1812.  The  first 
sermon  preached  there  of  which  we  can  get  any 
account  was  by  Mr.  McCoy,  in  1825,  a man  who 
was  employed  as  a Baptist  missionary  among  the 
Indians  at  St.  Joseph,  Michigan,  at  that  time.  At 
the  date  mentioned  he  visited  Chicago  and  preached 
to  the  people. 

In  the  same  Summer  Jesse  Walker  accompanied 
Mr.  Hamlin  on  a flat-boat  up  to  Chicago.  He  had 
regular  family  prayers  on  the  boat  as  they  went  up, 
and  it  may  be  the  old  soldier  preached  at  Chicago 
on  his  visit  there,  but  we  have  no  means  of  know- 
ing. It  was  his  custom  to  preach  wherever  a con- 
gregation of  five  or  six  could  be  gathered.  Mrs.  J. 
A.  Kinzie,  in  a letter  to  the  writer,  says : I can 


48 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


not  tell  whether  there  was  ever  preaching  at  Fort 
Dearborn  before  1829,  but  I think  there  was  not, 
as  Mrs.  Kinzie — my  husband^s  mother — told  me  in 
1831  that  she  had  not  heard  a sermon  for  nine  years. 
The  burial  service  was  read  over  the  dead,  I be- 
lieve, in  all  instances  by  my  father-in-law,  John 
Kinzie.  Marriages  were  celebrated  by  the  sub- 
agent, who  was  a justice  of  the  peace.  General 
David  Hunter,  who  is  now  (1866)  visiting  me,  was 
a lieutenant  at  the  garrison  here  in  1828,  and  he  is 
of  opinion  that  there  were  no  religious  services  held 
in  Fort  Dearborn  before  the  arrival  of  Rev.  J. 
Porter  with  the  troops  in  May,  1833.  ...  I 

am  of  opinion  that  a gentle,  venerable  old  man, 
known  as  Father  Walker,  who  was  afterwards  lo- 
cated here  for  a season  as  Methodist  minister,  began 
his  missionary  labors  here  at  an  early  day.^^ 

The  second  sermon  preached  in  the  place,  ot 
which  we  can  get  any  account,  was  preached  by 
Isaac  Scarritt,  in  the  Summer  of  1829,  a few  months 
before  the  town  was  laid  out.  In  1828  Mr.  Scarritt 
was  appointed  to  Jesse  Walker’s  Salem  Mission. 
Some  time  in  the  middle  of  the  Summer  of  1829 
he  set  out  on  a trip  to  the  lake,  in  company  with 
George  Furkee,  his  half-breed  interpreter.  The 
first  night  they  lodged  at  an  Indian  village,  near 
Plainfield,  and  the  next  day  they  entered  Chicago. 
James  Kinzie  and  John  Miller  kept  houses  of  en- 
tertainment, and  were  running  opposition.  Our 
travelers  put  up  at  Miller’s  log  tavern.  Mr.  Miller 
felt  honored  by  the  reception  of  such  distinguished 
guests,  and  strove  by  every  means  to  make  them  at 


CHICAGO. 


49. 


home,  and  to  aid  them  in  their  enterprise.  His  es- 
tablishment was  not  quite  equal  to  the  Sherman/^ 
but  it  was  the  best  house  in  town. 

They  arrived  on  Saturday ; on  Sunday  Mr.  Scar- 
ritt  sent  word  to  the  officer  in  command  at  the  fort 
that  if  it  were  his  wish  the  superintendent  of  In- 
dian missions  would  preach  to  the  soldiers  and  others 
at  such  hour  as  he  might  appoint.  The  officer  re- 
turned answer  that  he  should  not  forbid  preaching, 
but  that  he  should  neither  authorize  the  appoint- 
ment nor  make  any  arrangement  for  it.  The  mis- 
sionary declined  going  to  the  fort,  but  gave  out  an 
appointment  for  preaching  at  John  Miller’s  house 
on  Sunday  evening.  Most  of  the  citizens,  and  some 
of  the  soldiers,  were  present,  and  gave  respectful 
attention.  During  service  a gang  of  boatmen,  with 
loud  yo-heave-o,”  commenced  landing  and  rolling 
up  barrels  near  the  door.  Mr.  Miller  said  this  was 
a trick  of  Kinzie’s,  done  out  of  spite  to  him  for 
having  the  honor  of  entertaining  the  missionary. 
The  good  people  of  the  congregation  made  some  fuss 
about  the  matter,  and  in  every  way  showed  their  re- 
spect for  the  preacher.  Has  not  Chicago  always 
thus  received  her  ministers?  How  unlike  the  spirit 
of  the  St.  Louis  people  in  1820.  This  is  quite  cer- 
tainly the  first  Methodist  preaching  in  that  city  of 
Churches. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Jesse  Walker’s  ap- 
pointment for  1829  was  Fox  River  Mission — in 
1830  the  name  was  changed  to  Chicago  Mission, 
Chicago  was  laid  out  in  the  Fall  of  1829,  and 
though  the  place  was  small,  on  account  of  the  pro- 

5 


50  MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 

jected  canal^  it  had  a large  reputation  abroad,  and 
was  accordingly  made  the  headquarters  of  the  new 
field  of  labor.  The  circuit  embraced  all  the  settle- 
ments from  Chicago  to  Ottawa.  The  largest  settle- 
ment and  class  was  at  Walker’s  Grove.  Mr.  Walker, 
so  far  as  we  can  learn,  had  no  regular  appointment 
at  Chicago,  but  preached  there  often  as  he  traveled 
over  his  circuit  hunting  up  the  scattered  (let  us  hope 
not  lost  ”)  sheep.  He  must  have  been  in  the  town 
enough  to  be  known,  for  the  commissioners’s  court 
of  Cook  County,  at  a session  March  9,  1831,  em- 
ployed him  as  agent  to  enter  the  land  that  had  been 
selected  for  county  purposes.  At  the  term  of 
court,  June  6,  1831,  Mr.  Walker  reported  back  the 
money,  not  being  permitted  by  the  government  to 
enter  the  land.  On  the  county  clerk’s  record  for 
this  year  we  find  the  following  entries : 

July  6th,  by  Jesse  Walker,  an  elder  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  married,  Joseph  The- 
balt  to  Charlotte  Tosenben.” 

July  9th,  by  the  same  minister,  Daniel  W. 
Vaughn  to  Angeline  Hebart.” 

Jesse  Walker  was  one  of  the  clerks  at  an  elec- 
tion held  August  — , 1830. 

But  while  Mr.  Walker  was  interested  in  the 
white  settlers,  his  heart  still  yearned  after  the  poor 
red  men  of  the  forests,  and  a great  part  of  his  work 
was  to  look  after  some  new  developments  among 
them.  In  1830  a leader  arose  among  the  Indians, 
who  drew  converts  from  several  tribes.  Many  of 
his  teachings  appeared  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
Gospel,  and  it  was  a matter  of  much  speculation 


CHICAGO, 


51 


among  the  white  settlers  as  to  whence  he  had  de- 
rived his  views.  To  satisfy  himself  on  this  point, 
and  to  render  any  assistance  that  might  be  needed, 
Jesse  Walker  at  this  time  visited  the  Indians.  The 
result  is  given  in  a letter  of  his,  quoted  below. 
It  seems  they  were  not  ready  to  put  themselves 
under  the  guidance  of  white  men.  The  letter, 
which  is  addressed  to  Bishop  Roberts,  will  explain 
itself: 

Chicago,  November  25,  1830. 

After  my  respects  to  you,  I will  give  an  ac- 
count of  my  labors  since  conference.  I reached 
Chicago  sufficiently  soon  to  meet  the  Indians  at  the 
time  of  payment;  but  the  agent  was  on  his  death- 
bed, and  he  died  a few  days  after,  so  that  no  coun- 
cil could  be  held,  or  any  thing,  in  short,  be  done 
with  them.  At  length,  after  five  days^  starving  and 
drinking,  they  gave  them  their  money,  and  all 
broke  up  in  confusion.  One  of  the  chiefs  said  all 
must  be  laid  over  till  the  next  year.  I then  went 
to  see  the  Kickapoos  and  those  of  the  Pottawato- 
mies  that  had  commenced  to  serve  the  Lord.  I had 
to  follow  them  down  the  Grand  Prairie.  Some  I 
found  on  the  Ambroise,  some  on  the  Little  Wabash, 
and  some  on  the  Fox.  This  has  taken  four  weeks, 
in  which  I have  been  but  a few  nights  in  a house. 
The  rains  have  been  frequent ; but  the  Lord  has 
blessed  me  with  health,  I have  returned  to  this 
place  well,  for  which  I am  thankful.  The  Indians 
express  a strong  desire  to  settle  themselves  and 
change  their  mode  of  living.  There  are  three 
hundred  of  them  who  attend  the  worship  of  God 


52 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


morning  and  evening  and  keep  holy  the  Sabbath 
day.  I can  only  say  that  there  can  be  no  doubt^ 
but  if  they  could  get  some  place,  they  would  gladly 
settle  themselves,  and  learn  to  read  the  Word  of 
God  and  till  the  earth.  Such  a place  is  promised 
them  by  the  Pottawatomies.  It  is  on  the  Kan- 
kakee, and  they  are  going  to  settle  there  in  the 
Spring.  A blessed  field  is  opened  at  this  time  for 
sending  the  Gospel  to  the  North-west.  God  is  rais- 
ing up  preachers  of  the  right  kind  from  this  glori- 
ous work,  and  nearly  two  hundred  Pottawatomies 
have  already  joined  them.  These  have  laid  aside 
ardent  spirits  altogether,  also  stealing,  lying,  . . . 
and  all  manner  of  sin.  They  keep  the  Sabbath  day 
with  all  possible  strictness,  and  speak  feelingly  of 
the  divine  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  exhort 
each  other  to  give  their  hearts  to  the  Savior.  I still 
have  some  hope  that  Chicago  will  some  day  receive 
the  Gospel.  Please  send  me  some  instructions.^^ 
What  a missionary  spirit  glowed  in  the  heart 
of  the  old  hero ! Eight  years  after,  Chicago  was, 
under  Peter  Borein,  all  aflame  with  the  influence 
of  revival.  But  Jesse  WalkePs  ardent  hopes  re- 
garding the  Indians  have  never  been  realized,  and 
it  is  a serious  question  whether  the  whites  have 
done  a fair  thing  by  that  wandering  people.  They 
have  been  driven  to  deeds  of  madness  by  the  un- 
scrupulous trader,  and  for  those  deeds  annihilated. 
Several  years  after,  two  or  three  Indians  became 
members  of  the  Rock  River  Conference,  who  la- 
bored in  missions  in  Northern  Wisconsin ; but,  so 
far  as  the  Rock  River  Conference  is  concerned,  the 


CHICAGO, 


53 


closing  of  Salem  Mission  ended  the  labors  among 
the  Indians.  Henceforth  we  shall  be  led,  not  along 
the  trail  of  the  Indian,  but  along  the  wagon-track 
and  railway  of  the  white  settler.  We  shall  see  the 
land  of  wild  prairies  become  the  land  of  churches, 
cities,  and  schools,  the  garden  and  granary  of  the 
world,  the  radiating  point  of  missionaries  to  all 
lands. 

In  1830  Stephen  R.  Beggs  was  sent  to  the  Taz- 
well  Circuit,  near  Peoria.  During  the  year  Brother 
Beggs  went  up  to  what  he  persisted  in  calling  ^^this 
upper  country to  assist  in  holding  camp-meetings, 
one  of  which  was  held  at  Cedar  Point,  five  miles 
south  of  Peru,  on  Isaac  Scarritt^s  Fort  Clark  Mis- 
sion, the  other  at  Walker’s  Grove.  On  a Monday 
morning  in  July,  1831,  after  the  last  camp-meeting, 
several  persons  started  for  Chicago,  Jesse  Walker 
leading  the  van.  They  traveled  on  horseback  in 
old  style,  their  dinners  in  their  saddlebags.  The 
distance  was  forty  miles.  They  reached  Chicago 
late  in  the  day,  but  not  too  late  for  preaching  that 
evening.  Quite  a number  gathered  into  the  house 
of  Dr.  Harmon  at  the  fort,  to  hear  the  Word  of  life 
as  proclaimed  by  Brother  Beggs.  An  appointment 
was  given  out  for  preaching  at  9.30  the  next  day, 
and  the  congregation  gathered  into  an  old  log  house, 
the  residence  of  William  See,  at  the  Point.  About 
thirty  persons  were  present,  and  the  meeting  was  a 
refreshing  season.  Brother  Beggs  gave  an  invita- 
tion for  persons  to  join  the  Church,  when  eight  per- 
sons presented  themselves.  These  were  William 
See  and  Minerva,  his  wife,  Mrs.  Lucy  Walker 


54 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Wentworth,  her  three  children,  Susan,  Sabiah,  and 
Elijah  Wentworth,  Caroline  Harmon,  wife  of  Dr. 
Harmon,  and  Diana  Hamilton,  wife  of  Colonel 
R.  J.  Hamilton.  William  See  was  appointed  leader. 

August  4,  1831,  Mark  Noble  (known  in  the 
early  annals  as  Father  Noble)  and  family  arrived 
in  Chicago.  Mark  Noble,  his  wife,  two  daughters, 
and  a son,  all  joined  the  new  class.  This  increased 
the  society  to  thirteen  members ; few  in  number, 
but  all  active  Cliristians,  which  made  it  more  than 
usually  a strong  society  for  that  day. 

Of  the  members  of  this  first  Chicago  Christian 
Church  Rev.  William  See,  for  many  reasons,  de- 
serves the  first  mention.  Himself  and  wife  were 
the  first  resident  Methodists  of  Chicago.  We  have 
not  been  able  to  fix  the  date  of  William  See^s  ar- 
rival at  Chicago ; but  his  name  occurs  as  a voter  on 
a poll-book  of  a general  election  held  in  the  house 
of  James  Kinzie,  August  2,  1830.  Mrs.  J.  A.  Kin- 
zie,  who  heard  him  preach  in  the  Spring  of  1831, 
says,  He  has  recently  come  to  the  place.^^ 

The  government  made  a treaty  in  1821  with  the 
Pottawatomie  Indians  around  Chicago,  in  which  the 
government  agreed  to  furnish  them  a blacksmith 
and  a school-teacher  for  ten  years.  David  McKee 
became  the  first  blacksmith  in  1821,  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  William  See  in  1830. 

William  See  was  born  in  Charleston,  Virginia, 
in  April  1787.  When  a young  man  he  went  to 
Kentucky,  and  lived  near  Hagerstown.  From  there 
he  soon  went  to  Palmyra,  Missouri,  where  he  owned 
and  lived  upon  a farm.  There  he  married  Minerva 


CHICAGO. 


65 


Moss,  and  remained  until  his  three  children  were 
born— Elizabeth  in  1811,  then  George  W.,  then 
Leah,  who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  James 
Kinzie.  At  Palmyra  he  joined  the  Methodist 
Church,  and  began  preaching.  About  1820  he  re- 
moved to  Morgan  County,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1825,  when  he  was  admitted  into  the 
Illinois  Conference  and  appointed  to  Peoria  Circuit. 
This  work  included  most  of  the  country  north  of 
the  Sangamon  River,  including  what  are  now  Peoria, 
Tazewell,  Fulton,  and  Schuyler  Counties.  The  only 
Methodist  work  north  of  Peoria  was  Jesse  Walker’s 
Indian  Mission,  on  Fox  River.  The  country  was 
all  new,  and  Brother  See’s  work  was  to  explore  the 
new  settlements.  He  was  very  active  among  the 
first  settlers,  forming  societies  wherever  four  or  five 
Methodists  could  be  found.  He  organized  the  first 
class  in  Schuyler  County  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Ho- 
bart, father  of  Chauncey  and  Norris  Hobart,  who 
were  afterwards  active  Methodist  preachers.  Let 
the  reader  remember  that  Mrs.  Lucy  Wentworth 
was  at  this  time  one  of  his  members  at  Lewiston, 
in  Fulton  County. 

William  See  traveled  this  circuit  two  years.  At 
the  conferenee  of  1827  he  was  elected  and  ordained 
a deacon,  and  then,  at  his  own  request,  was  discon- 
tinued. The  probable  reason  was  the  want  of  sup- 
port for  his  family,  as  many  of  the  best  men  of  that 
day  who  had  families  were  obliged  to  locate  for  the 
reason  just  given.  We  know  but  little  of  Mr.  See 
for  the  next  three  years.  In  1828  a meeting  of 
great  interest  was  held  at  Farm  Creek,  on  the  Peoria 


56 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Circuit,  by  S.  L.  Robinson,  the  circuit  preacher,  at 
which  meeting  Jesse  Walker  and  William  See  were 
efficient  helpers.  He  must  have  been  appointed 
government  blacksmith  to  the  Pottawatamie  Indians 
sometime  in  1830,  for  we  find  him  voting,  as  has 
before  been  mentioned,  at  an  election  held  in 
Chicago  in  August  of  that  year.  When  he  learned 
the  blacksmith  trade  we  do  not  know.  His  son-in- 
law,  in  a letter  to  the  writer,  says:  ^^He  was  a 
blacksmith  and  a gunsmith ; in  fact,  could  turn  his 
hand  to  almost  every  thing,  from  building  a mill  to 
tinkering  a clock.^^ 

In  1831  Cook  County  was  organized,  including 
the  ground  now  embraced  in  Iroquois,  Kankakee, 
Will,  Dupage,  Cook,  Lake,  and  McHenry  Counties. 
The  county  commissioners^  court  held  its  first  ses- 
sion March  8,  1831,  at  which  time  William  See 
was  appointed  clerk  of  the  court.  This  is  equiva- 
lent to  being  the  first  county  clerk  of  Cook  County 
at  Chicago.  The  records  as  kept  by  Mr.  See  were 
preserved  in  the  old  court-house  until  1871,  when 
they  were  consumed  by  the  great  fire.  Those  old 
records  contained  many  interesting  items.  The 
court  met  part  of  the  time  in  the  brick  house  in 
Fort  Dearborn,  in  the  lower  room  of  said  house.^^ 
The  court  at  a session  June  6,  1831,  adjourned  to 
meet  until  court  in  course  at  the  house  of  Will- 
iam See.^^  The  clerk  was  a poor  speller.  Most  of 
the  officials  of  every  sort  of  that  day,  as  well  as 
the  preachers,  were  from  the  South,  and  had  had 
poor  educational  advantages.  William  See  was  not 
an  exception.  In  the  records  we  find  Sail  of  lots,^^ 


CHICAGO. 


57 


“Auxineer,”  etc.  To  note  this  spelling,  as  also  to 
give  items  of  interest,  we  insert  here  the  following : 
“April  22,  1831,  by  William  See,  an  ordained 
minister  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  Joseph  Papin  to 
Maryan  Sargarma.” 

“April  24th,  Wm.  D.  Schanks  to  Elizer  Jane.” 
“July  24th,  by  Rev.  William  See,  William  An- 
derson to  Susan  M.  Wentworth.” 

Two  marriages  were  performed  by  Jesse  Walker; 
one  June  6th,  the  other  July  9th. 

Mr.  See  held  the  office  of  clerk  until  April,  1832, 
when  he  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  R. 
J.  Hamilton.  During  all  these  years  from  1830  to 
1834  the  testimony  is  that  William  See  preached 
frequently,  most  of  the  time  once  in  two  weeks  in 
the  absence  of  the  regular  preacher. 

The  ten  years  specified  in  the  treaty  with  the 
Indians  expired  in  1831,  and  Mr.  See  was  thrown 
out  of  employment.  In  the  new  country  it  was  dif- 
ficult finding  means  of  support  for  a family,  and  we 
find  him  moving  about  trying  to  find  means  of  liv- 
ing. In  the  Fall  of  1831  he  settled  on  a farm  near 
Plainfield,  where  for  a time  he  kept  a house  of  en- 
tertainment. It  was  the  day  of  immigration,  and 
the  most  ready  means  of  taking  in  a few  dollars 
was  by  entertaining  the  numerous  travelers.  On 
nearly  all  roads  in  that  day  these  houses  of  accom- 
modation were  kept  within  four  or  five  miles  of 
each  other.  Jesse  Walker  kept  one  of  them  on  the 
Oplain  in  1834.  In  the  Spring  of  1832  Mr.  See 
was  driven  back  to  Chicago  by  the  Black  Hawk  War. 
About  1835  he  went  to  Wisconsin  and  built  a mill 


68 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


on  Root  River,  about  two  miles  above  the  mouth, 
at  Racine.  Henry  Whitehead  found  him  still  there 
in  1840  when  he  was  on  the  Root  River  Circuit. 
About  that  time  he  left  Racine  and  spent  some  time 
mining  near  Mineral  Point.  He  afterward  settled 
at  Clyde,  Iowa  County,  in  Western  Wisconsin. 
There  at  once  he  built  another  grist  mill  on  a 
stream  called  Otter  Creek,  it  being  the  first  mill  for 
grinding  wheat  in  that  section  of  country.  His 
son-in-law,  James  Kinzie,  who  was  living  there, 
furnished  the  capital  as  an  offset  to  Mr.  See’s  work 
and  owned  a half  interest  in  the  mill.  Mr.  See 
continued  to  run  the  mill  until  about  1850,  ^vhen 
he  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Kinzie  and  went  to  Texas. 
He  remained  there  a couple  of  years,  then  returned 
to  his  old  home  at  Clyde,  traveling  all  the  way  from 
Texas  on  horseback — quite  an  undertaking  for  an 
old  man  of  sixty-five.  His  first  wife  died  at  Clyde 
about  1847.  On  his  return  from  Texas  he  re- 
married twice  and  lived  for  a while  in  Pulaski,  a 
town  near  Clyde.  Here  he  engaged  in  farming,  in 
which  occupation  he  continued  until  his  death.  He 
died  in  August,  1869,  and  was  buried  by  the  side 
of  his  first  wife  in  the  town  of  Clyde.  The  letters 
from  his  personal  friends  state  that  during  all  these 
years,  from  1831  until  his  death,  he  continued 
preaching,  as  opportunity  occurred.  ^^He  was  a 
member  of  the  Church  and  a preacher  when  he 
died,”  writes  his  son-in-law,  John  Turman.  ^^He 
was,”  writes  one,  about  five  feet  ten  inches  in 
height,  dark  hair — bald  on  top — dark  whiskers  on 
chin,  beetling  eyebrows,  and  square  chin.  He  was 


CHICAGO. 


59 


impulsive  and  full  of  energy;  went  for  any  thing 
with  his  whole  soul.  He  made  a good  deal  of  money, 
but  lost  it  again  in  unprofitable  speculations.  Once 
at  a camp-meeting,  after  all  the  noted  preachers 
had  spoken,  he  was  called  upon  to  speak.  He 
said  he  did  not  know  what  to  say.  The  ground 
had  been  pretty  well  gone  over;  he  was  only  a 
backwoods  Southerner.  One  of  the  preachers  whis- 
pered to  him  to  give  them  some  of  his  Southern 
fire.  And  he  did,  so  effectually  that  he  soon  had 
the  audience  in  a great  excitement.^^ 

While  we  give  the  expressions  of  his  friends,  it 
will,  perhaps,  be  of  interest  to  give  a note  or  two 
from  the  other  side.  Before  quoting,  it  is  well  to 
say  that  in  1831  all  the  society  in  and  around  Chi- 
cago was  made  up  of  backwoods  and  unlearned 
people,  and  that  Mrs.  Kinzie,  from  whom  we  quote, 
was  a young  married  lady  just  from  the  higher  cir- 
cles of  the  East,  where  she  had  seen  little  but  the 
high  style  services  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  of 
which  she  was  a member.  She  says,  in  a letter  to 
the  writer  concerning  times  in  1831 : There  was  a 

certain  kind  of  holding  forth  by  a very  illiterate, 
untidy  sort  of  a person,  named  See,  who  called  him- 
self a Methodist.^^  In  her  book,  The  Early  Hay,’^ 
in  connection  with  her  visit  to  Chicago  in  the  Spring 
of  1831,  she  says:  ^^Once  upon  a Sunday,  we  rowed 
up  to  the  Point  to  attend  a religious  service  con- 
ducted by  Father  See,  as  he  was  called.  We  saw  a 
tall,  slender  man,  dressed  in  a green  frock  coat,  from 
the  sleeves  of  which  dangled  a pair  of  untidy  hands. 
He  stepped  briskly  upon  a little  platform  behind  a 


60 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


table  and  commenced  his  discourse.  His  subject 
was,  ^The  Fear  of  God.’  ^ There  was  a kind  of  fear/ 
he  told  us,  ^ that  was  very  near  alienated  to  love,  so 
nearly  that  it  was  not  worth  while  splitting  hairs 
for  the  difference.’  He  then  went  on  to  describe 
this  kind  of  fear.  Becoming  a little  bewildered  he 
paused  and  exclaimed,  ^ Come,  let’s  stop  a little 
while  and  clear  away  the  brush.’  At  last,  closing, 
he  said:  ^ Which  fear  may  we  all  enjoy,  that  to- 
gether we  may  soar  away  on  the  rolling  clouds  of 
ether  to  a boundless  and  happy  eternity,  which  is 
the  wish  of  your  humble  servant.’  ” It  must  be  re- 
niembered  that  this  visit  to  the  meeting  at  the  Point 
was  before  the  forming  of  the  first  class.  We  sus- 
pect the  preacher  was  unusually  embarrassed,  for 
the  Kinzies  were  very  aristocratic  people  living 
down  near  the  lake  who  seldom  appeared  in  these 
early  meetings,  and  it  is  probable  their  unexpected 
appearance,  with  the  new  lady  from  the  East,  threw 
our  modest  Brother  See  off  his  balance.  We  would 
pay  a price  for  his  views  of  his  success  on  that 
eventful  Sunday. 

To  all  of  which  it  is  due  him  to  add 
yet  more  from  his  friends.  S.  R.  Beggs  says: 
William  See  was,  to  say  the  least,  an  average 
preacher.  His  practical  and  theological  attainments 
were  above  the  average,  and  if  he  murdered  the 
king’s  English,  as  Mrs.  Kinzie  says,  the  best  of  all, 
thank  God,  he  murdered  sin  also.  He  was  in  good 
company.  He  was  of  muscular  frame,  nearly  six 
feet  high,  dark  hair,  blue  eyes,  an  intelligent  face, 
affable  and  communicative,  and  best  of  all,  religious. 


CHICAGO. 


61 


He  would  have  thrown  some  collegiates  of  this  day 
in  the  shade/^ 

Mks.  Lucy  Walker  Wentworth  was  born  in 
Maine,  October  20,  1785,  and  was  converted  and 
joined  the  Methodist  Church  at  Bangor  in  early 
youth,  under  the  first  Methodist  preaching  in  that 
place.  She  was  engaged  in  teaching  school  until 
her  marriage  with  Elijah  Wentworth.  Soon  after 
this  union  they  started  West  by  way  of  the  Ohio 
Kiver,  stopped  awhile  in  Kentucky,  then  went  on 
to  Lewiston,  Fulton  County,  Illinois,  where  Mrs. 
Wentworth  was  a member  of  the  Church  when 
William  See  was  on  the  Peoria  Circuit,  1825  to 
1827.  About  1828  the  family  removed  to  Dodge- 
ville,  Wisconsin,  and  November  1,  1830,  arrived  in 
Chicago,  where  Mr.  Wentworth  at  once  commenced 
keeping  tavern  at  the  Point,  in  an  old  log  house. 
William  See  and  family  were  already  there.  Jesse 
Walker  had  just  been  appointed  to  Chicago  Mission; 
but  as  there  were  few  people  there  and  little  to  be 
done.  Father  Walker  occupied  most  of  his  time  in 
looking  up  the  Indians,  so  that  his  visits  to  Chicago 
were  few.  Mrs.  Wentworth  urged  William  See  to 
make  appointments  for  preaching  on  the  Sabbath. 
He  urged  that  no  one  would  come  out  to  hear  him. 
She  made  an  appointment  for  him  at  his  own  house 
(the  famed  log  meeting-house),  and  went  around  and 
personally  invited  the  people  to  come  out  to  meeting. 
All  the  white  people  of  Chicago  but  three  families 
attended.  William  See  kept  up  regular  appoint- 
ments after  that.  Until  1832  the  meetings  were 
often  held  at  the  Wentworth  tavern.  In  the  Spring 


62 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


of  1833  the  Wentworth  family  moved  on  to  a farm 
eight  miles  up  the  North  Branch  of  the  river,  but 
retained  their  membership  at  Chicago.  In  after 
years  (1843  to  1849)  the  old  people  lived  most  of  the 
time  with  their  daughter,  Mrs.  Susan  Sweet.  Here 
Mrs.  Wentworth  died  July  28,  1849,  aged  seventy- 
four  years.  Her  remains  rest  in  the  family  lot  at 
Rose  Hill.  Mrs.  Wentworth  was  a small  woman, 
full  of  energy.  She  did  what  she  could  for  temper- 
ance, Sunday-schools,  and  other  enterprises.  In 
1840-42,  when  some  Chicago  Abolition  Methodist 
persisted  in  sending  Abolition  petitions  to  the  Rock 
River  Conference,  Lucy  Wentworth^s  name  was 
among  the  signers. 

Susan  Wentworth  became  the  wife  of  a 
Brother  Sweet,  who,  in  1842-46,  kept  a grocery  on 
the  North  Side.  She  afterwards  removed  to  St. 
Joseph,  Michigan,  where  she  died. 

Sabi  AH  Wentworth  married  a man  by  the 
name  of  Estes  in  1836,  and  settled  in  Milwaukee. 
She  was  still  living  in  1884.  Her  daughter  is  (1884) 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Isaac  Linebarger. 

Colonel  R.  J.  Hamilton  went  to  Chicago,  April 
9,  1831.  His  wife,  who  joined  the  first  class,  was 
an  active  Methodist,  always  foremost  in  every  good 
work  until  her  happy  death  in  the  Spring  of  1834. 

Dr.  Harmon  came  with  his  Methodist  wife  from 
Vermont  in  1831. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  1831,  Mark  Noble,  known 
in  the  early  annals  as  Father  Noble,  and  family  ar- 
rived. Mark  Noble,  his  wife,  his  two  daughters, 
Mary  and  Elizabeth,  and  a son,  all  joined  the  new 


CHICAGO, 


63 


class.  The  society  now  consisted  of  thirteen  mem- 
bers ; few  in  number,  but  all  active  Christians, 
which  made  it  more  than  a usually  strong  society 
for  that  day. 

This  first  Methodist  class  was  formed  in  the  log 
dwelling  of  William  See.  As  it  will  be  referred  to 
frequently  in  these  pages,  and  as  it  was  the  first 
meeting-house  of  any  kind  in  Chicago,  we  will  insert 
in  this  place  a few  notes  concerning  it. 

At  the  conference  of  1832  Jesse  Walker  was  ap- 
pointed in  charge  of  the  Chicago  District  and  of 
Chicago  Mission.  Brother  Walker^s  first  wife  had 
died  in  the  Spring  of  1832,  and  until  he  married 
again,  in  July,  1833,  he  was  without  a home.  On 
going  up  to  Chicago  from  his  former  home  at  Walk- 
er^s  Grove  (Plainfield),  he  purchased  the  log  house 
in  which  William  See  lived,  and  fitted  up  one  part 
of  it  as  a place  for  meetings.  In  the  other  part  he 
lived  alone  whenever  he  was  in  town.  Up  to  1836 
there  was  a room  of  some  note  called  Watkinses 
School-house,^^  which  was  often  used  as  a meeting- 
place.  To  this  house  reference  is  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing, which  we  quote  because  of  its  reference  to 
the  log  church.  The  quotation  is  from  John  Wat- 
kins, the  first  school-teacher  in  Chicago.  He  says: 
I commenced  teaching  in  the  Fall  after  the  Black 
Hawk  war  of  1832.  My  first  school-house  was  situ- 
ated on  the  North  Side,  about  half-way  between  the 
lake  and  the  forks  of  the  river,  then  known  as 
Wolfes  Point.  The  building  was  owned  by  R.  J. 
Hamilton — was  erected  as  a stable.  It  was  twelve 
feet  square.  . . . After  the  first  quarter  I moved 


64 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


my  school  into  a double  log  house  on  the  West  Side. 
It  was  owned  by  Rev.  Jesse  Walker,  and  was  located 
near  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  North  and 
South  Branches  meet.  He  resided  in  one  end  of 
the  building,  and  I taught  in  the  other.  On  Sun- 
days Father  Walker  preached  in  the  room  where  I 
taught.^^ 

Jesse  Walker  was  my  successor,^^  says  S.  R. 
Beggs,  in  1832.  Myself  and  wife  attended  his 
first  quarterly  meeting.  The  meeting-house,  par- 
sonage, parlor,  and  kitchen  was  all  the  same  old  log 
house  that  we  formed  the  first  class  in,  in  1831. 
Mrs.  Beggs  and  myself  were  permitted  to  dine  with 
the  old  hero.  His  stove  was  one  of  the  box  kind, 
with  one  griddle-hole.  Here  he  boiled  the  tea- 
kettle, fried  the  meat,  and  boiled  the  scanty  vegeta- 
bles, each  in  its  turn.  He  had  for  his  table  a large 
chest,  and  when  dinner  was  served  we  surrounded 
the  chest,  and,  having  good  appetites,  the  dinner 
was  refreshing.^^ 

The  first  Sunday-school  in  Chicago  (now  the 
First  Presbyterian)  was  commenced  in  August, 

1832.  From  April,  1833,  till  August  the  school 
met  at  the  log  church. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  who  organized  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  arrived  in  Chicago  May  4, 

1833,  and  preached  his  first  sermon  in  Jesse  Walk- 

ePs  meeting-house.  The  Church  just  mentioned 
was  organized  June  26,  1833.  After  the  organiza- 
tion the  following  service,  as  narrated  by  Mr.  Por- 
ter, occurred  : At  our  first  communion  season  in 

that  old  school-house  of  logs,  sitting  on  oak  slabs, 


CHICAGO. 


65 


we  had  very  little  to  suggest  present  luxuries^  except 
one  silver  cup  brought  by  Major  Wilcox  from  his 
own  table.  . . . That  house  called  Father  Walker’s, 
at  the  Point,  on  the  West  Side,  witnessed  the  first 
communion  season  of  our  Church  on  the  west  shore 
of  Lake  Michigan,  except  at  the  Stockbridge  Mis- 
sion at  Green  Bay.”  The  first  Methodist  sacramental 
occasion  was  in  January,  1832. 

James  Rockwell,  who  had  a great  deal  to  do 
with  Chicago  Methodism  from  1834  till  1838,  in 
speaking  of  various  matters,  says : I arrived  in 

Chicago,  May  18,  1834;  Jesse  Walker,  missionary; 
a log  church  ; the  Bible  lay  on  the  center  beam. 
It  was  held  sacred  by  whites  and  Indians.  At  the 
Indian  payment  we  had  some  disturbance  in  our 
worship.  On  arriving  once  for  evening  prayer- 
meeting we  found  the  Indians  had  stored  pork,  sad- 
dles, blankets,  etc.,  in  the  house.  Father  Walker 
requested  their  removal ; said  they  were  desecrating 
God’s  house.  The  things  were  all  removed  at  once. 
Being  encamped  near  the  house  they  became  quite 
noisy  through  strong  drink.  A kind  word  from  the 
preacher  made  all  quiet,  which  showed  their  respect 
for  one  they  knew  to  be  their  friend.” 

Chicago  in  1831,  and  on  till  about  1838,  was 
divided  into  three  distinct  communities.  One  clus- 
ter of  settlements  was  on  the  North  Side,  near  the 
lake;  another  on  the  South  Side,  around  Fort  Dear- 
born, on  the  lake  shore;  the  other  at  the  Point,  on 
the  West  Side.  There  was  no  means  of  communi- 
cation but  by  canoes  in  1831,  and  ferries  after  that. 

Besides,  between  the  lake  and  the  branches  the  land 

6 


66 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


was  swampy,  so  that  most  of  the  time  it  was  diflScult 
passing  from  one  point  to  another.  For  years  a 
trail  followed  the  dry  river’s  bank.  This  was  the 
reason  the  meetings  and  schools  were  so  frequently 
changed  from  one  part  of  the  town  to  the  other. 
The  Methodists  built  a frame  church  on  the  North 
Side  in  1834.  Until  then  the  Methodists  continued 
to  divide  their  meetings  between  the  log  church, 
Watkins’s  school-house,  and  Father  Noble’s  house, 
on  the  lake,  south  of  the  fort.  It  will  be  readily 
understood  that  much  rivalry  existed  between  the 
several  communities — a rivalry  that  a good  deal  in- 
terfered with  the  meetings  until  permanent  houses 
were  built.  It  is  a rather  curious  fact  that  all  sides 
have  had  the  first  Methodist  church.  The  first 
church  (the  log)  was  on  the  West  Side  ; the  first 
frame  on  the  North,  which  was  finally  moved  to  the 
South  Side,  where  the  only  Methodist  society  in  the 
city  worshiped  until  a second  church  was  organized 
on  the  West  Side  in  1843. 

Father  Noble  on  his  arrival  in  1831  rented  an 
old  log  house  on  the  North  Side,  opposite  the  fort, 
which  he  at  once  opened  for  meetings  on  the  Sab- 
bath. The  services  usually  consisted  of  reading  the 
Scriptures,  exhortations,  and  prayer,  followed  by  a 
class-meeting,  led  by  Mr.  Noble,  who  by  this  time 
had  been  appointed  class-leader.  This  kind  of  ser- 
vice he  had  performed  thirty  or  forty  years  before 
coming  to  Chicago.  The  meetings  were  well  at- 
tended, the  house  generally  being  full  of  those  who 
came  out  to  worship.  To  accommodate  the  people 
at  the  Point  the  meetings  were  frequently  held 


CHICAGO. 


67 


there ; sometimes  in  William  See’s  house,  sometimes 
in  Mr.  Wentworth’s  tavern. 

The  most  prominent  citizens  of  the  place  in  the 
Fall  of  1831  were  at  the  Point:  Elijah  Wentworth 
and  family,  occupying  a house  partly  log,  partly 
frame,  in  which  was  kept  the  best  tavern  in  town ; 
James  Kinzie,  who  resided  near  Wentworth’s;  Will- 
iam See,  Alexander  Robinson,  Robert  A.  Kinzie, 
who  kept  a store  of  dry-goods  and  groceries.  On 
the  North  Side  on  the  North  Branch,  Samuel  and 
John  Miller,  who  kept  tavern,  resided.  On  the 
East  Side  of  South  Branch  was  Mark  Beaubien’s 
tavern,  and  near  Randolph  Street  an  Indian  trader, 
Bourisso,  by  name.  Between  Beaubien’s  tavern 
and  Fort  Dearborn  there  were  no  houses  except  a 
small  log  cabin  near  the  river  on  Dearborn  Street. 
South  of  the  garrison  was  the  residence  of  J.  B. 
Beaubien,  and  an  unoccupied  house  stood  south  of 
his  house.  On  the  North  Side,  opposite  Fort  Dear- 
born, was  the  old  Kinzie  house,  into  whieh  Mark 
Noble  moved  in  August.  A short  distance  to  the 
west  of  this  stood  what  had  been  the  government 
agency  house,  known  as  Cobweb  Castle;”  this 
was  vacant.  In  the  vicinity  were  several  log  build- 
ings, making  about  a dozen  families  in  all  in  the 
Fall  of  1831.  Such  was  the  city  when  Methodism 
first  set  up  her  banners  there. 

Jesse  Walker  resided  at  Walker’s  Grove  during 
the  year  1830-31.  In  the  Summer  he  held  the 
camp-meeting  near  his  residence,  to  which  reference 
has  been  made,  and  which  S.  R.  Beggs  went  up 
from  Holland’s  Grove  to  attend.  After  attending 


68 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


the  meeting  at  Cedar  Point,  Beggs  set  out  with 
Caleb  Hitt  for  Walker^s  Grove.  They  passed 
through  Ottawa  and  on  to  Holderman’s  Grove,  and 
missing  their  way  they  wandered  through  groves 
and  over  prairies,  and  reached  the  place  of  destina- 
tion late  in  the  day.  The  beautiful  Dupage,  the 
prairie  richly  strewn  with  flowers  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  see,  charmed  Brother  Beggs,  and  the  warm 
reception  from  the  lonesome  Brother  Walker 
charmed  him  more.  The  meeting  with  a brother 
minister  in  that  day  was  a thing  to  be  remembered. 
The  camp-meeting  came  on.  Beggs  had  come  from 
near  Peoria,  more  than  a hundred  miles,  in  the 
flush  and  zeal  of  young  manhood;  Isaac  Scarritt 
had  found  his  way  up  from  the  lonely  regions  south 
of  Peru,  and  William  See  had  left  his  tongs  and 
hammers  and  oflicial  duties,  and  come  down  from 
Chicago  for  a feast  in  the  wilderness.  These  con- 
stituted the  entire  corps  of  Methodist  preachers 
from  Peoria  to  the  North  Pole.  The  meeting  com- 
menced and  continued  encouragingly,  and  the  bat- 
tle waxed  warmer  and  warmer  until  Sunday  even- 
ing, ^^when  victory  turned  on  Israel’s  side.”  Mr. 
Beggs  that  night  invited  mourners,  and  they  came 
in  good  earnest,  and  the  power  of  God  was  displayed 
in  the  conversion  of  souls.  The  membership,  much 
renewed,  blessed  God  and  took  courage.  There 
were  some  two  hundred  whites  at  the  meeting  and 
a large  company  of  Indians. 

At  the  close  of  this  year  Jesse  Walker  could  not 
attend  the  conference  which  met  at  Indianapolis, 
but  having  asked  Brother  Beggs  if  he  was  willing 


CHICAGO. 


69 


to  go  to  Chicago  Mission,  he  wrote  to  Bishop  Rob- 
erts about  the  matter,  and  S.  R.  Beggs  was  appointed 
to  the  charge.  The  growing  importance  of  the 
place  made  all  conclude  it  was  a fitting  thing  for 
a preacher  to  give  his  whole  attention  to  the  rising 
lake  port.  Chicago  the  year  before  was  merely  an 
appointment  on  Jesse  Walker^s  large  mission,  and 
S.  R.  Beggs  can  claim  the  credit  of  being  the  first 
Methodist  preacher  regularly  appointed  to  the  city. 
But  from  circumstances  which  we  shall  relate  the 
year’s  labor  was  nearly  all  lost.  The  newly  ap- 
pointed preacher  had  taken  his  wife  with  him  to 
conference,  and  at  its  adjournment  the  two  set  out 
on  horseback  to  visit  Brother  Beggs’s  father  in 
Southern  Indiana.  The  work  at  Chicago  demanded 
the  preacher’s  presence,  and  after  a few  days’  visit 
preacher  and  wife,  still  on  horseback,  set  out  for 
the  north.  -They  wereithen  four  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  Chicago,  and  must  return  by  Washing- 
ton, Illinois,  where  Mrs.  Beggs  usually  resided  with 
her  parents.  On  the  day  of  their  arrival  home  they 
were  obliged  to  cross  Mackinaw  River,  which  was 
high  and  the  current  swift.  The  flood  beat  their 
horses  down  stream  so  far  that  when  they  reached 
the  shore  the  water  was  pouring  over  the  horses’ 
backs.  Mr.  Beggs  crawled  to  the  bank  and  thrust 
a pole  down  into  the  water,  on  which  Mrs.  Beggs 
climbed  to  the  shore  wet  and  cold.  ^^Had  we  been 
in  a buggy,”  says  Mr.  Beggs,  ^^we  should  hardly 
have  got  out;  so  we  found  some  benefit  in  being 
poor.”  After  wringing  their  clothes  as  well  as  they 
could,  they  mounted  their  horses,  and  in  this  plight 


70 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


hurried  on  to  the  welcome  home  of  Mr.  Heath, 
Mrs.  Beggs^s  father,  at  which  place  they  arrived 
just  before  dark,  ^Hiappy  in  the  Lord,  and  praising 
him  for  all  his  mercies.’^ 

Brother  Beggs  at  once  set  out  for  Chicago  to 
take  charge  of  the  little  class  he  had  aided  in  gath- 
ering a few  months  before.  He  found  them  all 
continuing  faithful.  He  set  up  the  standard  of  the 
cross  and  made  arrangements  for  the  year.  The 
meetings  were  generally  held  in  the  fort,  and  they 
increased  in  interest  until  the  first  quarterly  meet- 
ing, which  was  held  in  January,  1832.  Jesse 
Walker  was  on  that  portion  of  the  last  year’s  cir- 
cuit which  remained  after  Chicago  was  set  off,  and 
also  superintendent  of  the  whole  work  in  the  up- 
per country.”  Brother  Beggs  went  down  to  assist 
him  in  holding  a meeting  at  Walker’s  Grove.  After 
the  meeting  closed  Brothers  Beggs  and  Walker  set 
out  to  Chicago  on  one  of  the  coldest  days  of  that 
year.  It  was  thirty  miles  to  the  first  house.  A 
brother,  T.  B.  Clark,  started  with  them,  with  an  ox 
team  laden  with  provisions  to  aid  in  sustaining  the 
coming  quarterly-meeting,  for  provisions  were  scarce 
in  Chicago.  The  preachers  reached  the  first  house 
and  put  up  for  the  night.  They  waited  long  for 
Clark  and  his  ox  team  and  set  out  on  a fruitless 
search  for  him.  He  did  not  come  up  till  midnight. 
The  next  day  they  all  arrived  safely  in  Chicago  and 
met  a warm  reception  from  William  See  and  wife. 
An  ox  team  goes  from  Plainfield  with  provisions  to 
sustain  a quarterly-meeting  in  Chicago ! Times 
have  changed  since  then. 


CHICAGO, 


71 


The  meeting  commenced  with  interest  and  in- 
creased in  power  until  its  close.  Sunday  morning, 
after  preaching  at  lOJ  A.  M.,  Jesse  Walker  invited 
the  little  band  around  the  sacramental  board.  It 
was  a season  long  to  be  remembered,  that  first  com- 
munion season  in  Chicago,  All  seemed  to  be  bap- 
tized afresh  for  the  great  work  that  was  to  be  ac- 
complished in  what  was  destined  to  be  a mighty 
city.  Some  of  that  band  are  still  living  in  1884. 

Brother  Beggs  had  now  been  on  his  work  seven 
weeks;  at  the  close  of  the  quarterly-meeting  he  set 
out  for  Holland\s  Grove  to  bring  his  wife  to  Chi- 
cago. There  was  a great  thaw  and  the  whole 
country  was  covered  with  water,  and  no  bridges  for 
his  whole  trip  of  one  hundred  and  forty  miles. 
One  day,  as  he  passed  south,  he  left  Ox  Bow  Prai- 
rie, near  Magnolia,  with  two  biscuits  in  his  pocket, 
being  thirty-five  miles  from  home.  He  swam  his 
horse  across  Sandy  Creek,  and  coming  to  Crow 
Creek  he  set  out  to  the  eastward  around  its  head- 
waters. Supposing  he  was  around  and  across  its 
largest  branches,  he  came  to  the  main  branch.  The 
ice  was  fast  to  the  bottom  and  not  stout  enough  to 
bear  his  horse.  He  started  again  up  stream  and 
traveled  until  out  of  sight  of  timber.  It  grew  near 
sundown  and  he  concluded  to  try  crossing.  When 
about  half-way  over  his  horse  fell  through  the  ice. 
Mr.  Beggs  jumped  oflF,  and  gave  his  horse  notice 
that  he  must  not  lie  there.  The  horse  gave  a bound, 
and  horse  and  horseman  came  out  on  the  right  side, 
but  well  drenched.  The  forlorn,  yet  happy  preacher, 
emptied  his  boots,  wrung  out  his  leggins,  and  started 


72 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


on.  It  began  to  grow  cold,  and  his  overcoat  was 
soon  frozen  ; worse  than  all,  he  knew  not  which  way 
to  steer.  Traveling  on,  he  soon  saw  timber  in  the 
distance,  but  ere  he  reached  it,  it  grew  dark  and  he 
was  compelled  to  guess  his  way.  Late  in  the  even- 
ing he  drew  near  a grove,  where  he  found  a farm 
with  wheat  stacks  and  a pile  of  straw.  He  searched 
long  and  found  no  house,  but  saw  that  a stream  ran 
between  him  and  the  dwellings;  this  he  did  not 
venture  to  cross,  and,  returning  to  the  stacks,  he 
gave  his  horse  a supper  of  wheat  sheafs,  and  he 
himself  crawled  into  the  straw  stacks.  But  wet  and 
cold  he  could  not  sleep,  and  was  compelled  to  crawl 
out  and  run  about,  finding  that  at  this  time,  at  least, 
bodily  exercise  was  profitable.  Brother  Beggs 
spent  the  night  in  lying  down  and  getting  up — a 
most  dreary  and  vexing  night’s  pastime.  In  the 
morning  he  heard  a man  across  the  stream  calling 
his  hogs.  Going  to  him  he  was  informed  that  he 
was  on  Panther  Creek,  and  that  there  was  a bridge 
three  miles  up  stream,  and  that  by  the  time  he  had 
gone  around  breakfast  would  be  ready.  How  much 
good  it  seemed  to  do  the  early  settlers  to  give  a 
stanger  an  invitation  to  their  humble  boards ! After 
breakfast  Brother  Beggs  asked  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  the  people  and  journeyed  on.  He  swam  his 
horse  across  Walnut  Creek,  churned”  through 
other  heavy  sloughs,  and  reached  the  home  of  his 
wife  tired  and  cold. 

In  a few  days  Mr.  Beggs  and  wife  packed  up 
their  few  things,  threw  them  on  a sled,  and  set  out 
for  Chicago.  The  second  day  the  snow  left  them. 


CHICAGO. 


73 


and  arriving  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Vermilion, 
nearly  opposite  La  Salle,  they  found  that  river  too 
deep  to  ford,  and  no  boat  near,  and  five  miles  back 
to  a house.  They  were  opposite  Martin  Reynolds, 
a good  Methodist  brother,  whose  wife  was  a sister 
to  the  Hitts.  Mr.  Reynolds  went  to  the  travelers^ 
rescue.  The  horses  were  tied  to  the  sled,  and  Mr. 
Beggs  and  wife  went  down  stream  to  deep  water, 
where  there  was  a covering  of  soft  ice,  and  taking 
the  railings  of  the  bed,  Mrs.  Beggs  crossed  on  the 
ice  by  putting  down  one  bed-rail  and  taking  up 
another  and  putting  it  ahead  as  she  passed  on. 
They  remained  with  Brother  Reynolds  about  two 
weeks  before  they  could  get  horses  or  goods  over, 
living,  in  the  mean  time,  on  Western  fare.  There 
was  no  flour,  but  plenty  of  corn.  This  was  manu- 
factured into  meal  in  a mortar,  the  pestle  of  which 
was  a stick  with  an  iron  wedge  in  the  end,  which 
process  required  a great  deal  of  elbow  power. 

Mr.  Beggs  was  not  idle  all  this  time,  however. 
He  walked  up  to  Ottawa  and  Hog  Point  on  preach- 
ing tours,  and  found  that  corn-bread  and  long 
walks  were  great  things  to  give  healthy  digestion 
and  a good  appetite.^^  After  a time  they  moved 
their  goods  up  to  John  Greenes  (now  Dayton),  on 
Fox  River,  and  leaving  them  for  the  Winter,  set 
out  on  horseback.  There  was  by  this  time  a solid 
sheet  of  ice  all  over  the  prairie.  The  streams  were 
very  full,  and  it  was  still  raining  frequently.  At 
last,  weary  and  cold,  they  arrived  at  Walker^s 
Grove.  There  was  no  house  to  be  obtained  in  Chi- 
cago, and,  purchasing  a claim  at  the  Grove,  Mr. 

7 


74 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Beggs  left  his  wife  there.  He  visited  Chicago  once 
or  twice  before  the  Indian  war  came  on.  In  the 
interval  William  See  and  Mark  Noble  kept  np  the 
meetings.  There  was  a watch-night  meeting  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Noble,  which  Jesse  Walker  attended 
on  the  last  day  of  1831.  This  was  the  first  watch- 
night  in  Chicago.  In  the  Spring  Brother  Noble 
purchased  a log  house  about  half  a mile  south  of 
the  fort,  on  the  lake  shore,  and,  moving  into  it,  im- 
mediately opened  it  for  religious  services.  Meetings 
were  held  there  a portion  of  each  Sabbath  until  the 
Spring  of  1833,  with  the  exception  of  a Sabbath  or 
two  when  there  was  most  alarm  from  the  Indians, 
at  which  times  meetings  were  held  in  the  fort. 
Brother  Noble  appears  to  have  held  meetings  during 
the  Winter  of  1832,  while  Mr.  Beggs  was  away. 
These  early  meetings.  Colonel  Hamilton  says,  had  a 
happy  effect  upon  all  within  their  influence.  Mrs. 
Hamilton  contributed  much  to  their  interest,  as  she 
was  a lady  of  great  intelligence  and  devoted  piety. 
Mark  Noble  was  the  principal  speaker  at  all  these 
meetings,  and  his  exhortations  were  greatly  blessed. 
He  was  a man  of  practical  common  sense  and  large 
experience,  and  was  well  fitted  for  a standard-bearer 
on  the  borders.  The  clusters  of  houses  near  the  fort 
and  at  the  Point  were  a half-mile  apart,  with  a ferry 
between  them.  Consequently  there  were  most  of 
the  time  meetings  at  both  places.  Brother  Noble 
was  the  chief  leader  on  the  lake  shore.  Brother  See 
at  the  Point.  The  meetings  at  the  Point  were 
generally  held  at  Wentworth’s  log  tavern,  where 
Brother  Beggs  boarded  when  in  town. 


CHICAGO. 


75 


Thus  we  find  things  when  the  scattered  settlers 
were  aroused  by  the  alarm  of  war.  Two  Indian 
tribes,  Sacs  and  Foxes,  had  united  their  interests, 
and  resided  in  villages  along  the  Mississippi  River. 
Black  Hawk  was  a chief  residing  at  a village  on 
Rock  River,  near  Rock  Island.  His  story  is  that 
the  Indian  agent  at  St.  Louis,  getting  a parcel  of 
old  chiefs  drunk,  purchased  their  lands  from  them, 
and  when  the  government  began  to  remove  the  tribe 
westward.  Black  Hawk  headed  a faction  who  refused 
to  go.  This  party,  led  by  the  chief  who  has  given 
name  to  the  war,  commenced  the  savage  work  of 
putting  the  settlers  to  death,  being  determined  to 
annihilate  them  from  the  land.  Confusion  swept 
over  the  country.  The  people  from  all  parts,  those 
at  Walker’s  Grove  among  the  rest,  hurried  to  Fort 
Dearborn.  There  hundreds  of  helpless  people  were 
huddled  together.  Brother  Beggs  and  wife,  reach- 
ing the  fort,  were  crowded  into  a room  with  three 
other  families.  While  in  this  crowded  position 
their  first  child  was  born.  This  was  a daughter, 
who  afterwards  died.  Thirteen  or  fourteen  children 
were  born  in  the  fort  in  a short  time.  You  may 
be  sure,”  says  Brother  Biggs,  ^^we  had  music  in- 
door and  out.” 

Sunday  mornings  the  officers  called  up  their  men 
in  regular  order,  and  Brother  Beggs  stood  on  a stoop 
and  preached  to  them.  There  were  several  hundred 
soldiers  and  citizens  present  at  these  services.  In 
a few  weeks  the  inhabitants  of  Walker’s  Grove  re- 
turned to  their  homes,  having  procured  fifty  soldiers 
to  be  stationed  there.  Mr.  Beggs  and  wife  remained 


76 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


in  Chicago,  and  before  Mrs.  Beggs  was  able  to  leave 
the  room,  a new  officer  came  on  and  ordered  all  the 
citizens  out  of  the  garrison,  to  make  way  for  the 
regulars.  Brother  Beggs  pleaded  in  vain  to  remain. 
Colonel  R.  J.  Hamilton  offered  him  one  of  his 
rooms,  into  which  they  moved.  The  whole  three 
were  taken  sick,  and  it  seemed  they  would  all  die 
together.  They  proposed  to  return  to  Walker^s 
Grove,  and,  crowding  into  a buggy,  they  traveled 
the  distance  unharmed.  Being  still  feeble  in  health, 
the  family  set  out  for  Mrs.  Beggs^s  father^s,  at  Hol- 
land Grove,  and  this  was  the  end  of  Brother  Beggs^s 
labors  at  Chicago.  Mark  Noble  and  William  See 
were  left  to  look  after  the  interests  of  the  few 
Methodists  in  the  disturbed  town.  In  this  connec- 
tion, since  it  is  a part  of  the  history  of  Chicago 
Methodism,  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  the  crowd- 
ing to  the  fort  brought  other  preachers  there  than 
S.  R.  Beggs.  Among  the  little  band  who  went  in 
from  near  Naperville  was  Isaac  Scarritt.  This 
company  reached  Chicago  on  Saturday  night.  Sun- 
day morning  Mr.  Scarritt  was  requested  to  preach 
at  a given  hour;  but  in  the  hasty  flight  the  preacher 
had  neglected  to  bring  any  decent  clothing,  and  was 
even  shoeless,  he  having  come  barefoot  to  make  his 
speed  the  greater.  Such  was  the  scare,  and  not 
without  reason,  that  was  on  the  people ; for  the  In- 
dians sacked  the  houses  of  settlers  all  along  Fox 
River,  murdering  a few  and  taking  others  prisoners. 
But  what  was  our  bootless  preacher  to  do  ? It 
would  never  do  to  preach  in  such  a plight  as  he 
found  himself  in.  There  were  shoes  at  the  store; 


CHICAGO. 


77 


but  the  preacher  did  not  wish  to  trade  on  Sunday. 
At  length  he  went  into  Mr.  Dole^s  store,  and  bor- 
rowed a pair  of  shoes,  promising  to  make  all  right 
the  next  day.  The  new  shoes  added  their  shining 
gloss  to  the  respectability  of  the  meeting.  Mr. 
Scarritt  preached  frequently  to  the  people  while  in 
the  fort.  Sometimes  taking  his  stand  at  night  on 
the  portico  of  the  barracks,  he  would  preach  so  as 
to  be  heard  all  over  the  encampment,  where  good 
order  and  harmony  prevailed. 

These  gatherings  at  the  fort  took  place  in  the 
Spring  of  1832,  probably  in  April.  The  company 
from  Walker’s  Grove  arrived  in  May,  after  having 
forted  a few  days  in  Brother  Beggs’s  house. 


78 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPITER  V. 

METHODISM  IH  CHICAGO  FROM  1832  TO  1835. 

T the  conference  held  at  Jacksonville  in  1832 


Jesse  Walker  was  again  appointed  to  Chicago 
Mission.  The  war  being  over,  settlers  began  to 
pour  in ; and  at  this  date  the  history  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  in  Chicago  properly  begins. 
Many  men  had  volunteered  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  State  to  go  north  as  soldiers  in  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  and  these,  getting  a view  of  the  charms  of 
Northern  Illinois,  created  a new  enterprise  among 
the  Egyptians,  and  settlers  began  to  come  into  the 
country  around  Chicago  more  than  ever ; and  from 
this  time  Rock  River  Conference  circuits  began  to 
have  limits  and  a permanent  existence.  From  this 
year  on  there  has  never  ceased  to  be  a growing 
Methodism  in  all  portions  of  the  conference. 

Jesse  Walker,  as  we  have  seen,  moved  from 
Walker’s  Grove  to  Chicago  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
set  to  work.  Brother  Beggs  visited  him  in  the 
Fall,  and  found  him  living  in  the  old  log  house  in 
which  he  had  preached  and  formed  the  first  class  in 
1831.  The  house  was  also  used  as  a meeting-place. 
Brother  Beggs  and  wife  had  gone  up  to  attend  the 
first  quarterly-meeting  for  the  year,  and  the  com- 
pany dined  together.  Long  rides  saved  them  from 


CHICAGO, 


79 


dyspepsia.  Napkins  and  silver  forks  were  missing; 
but  silver-heartedness  prevailed.  Such  was  the 
preacher^s  abode  in  1832.  Wabash  Avenue  parson- 
age was  not  yet  built. 

It  was  so  soon  after  the  war  there  was  little 
chance  to  do  much,  and  during  the  year  there  was 
no  increase  of  members,  so  that  but  ten  members 
were  reported  in  1833.  In  the  Spring  of  1833, 
the  Noble  and  Wentworth  families  left  the  place, 
settling  on  the  North  Branch,  and  but  few  other 
Methodists  moved  in. 

Jesse  Walker  was  returned  to  Chicago  in  1833, 
with  John  Sinclair  as  presiding  elder.  During  the 
Summer  the  town  grew  rapidly.  Attention  was 
being  called  to  the  place  all  over  the  land.  At  the 
time  when  Mr.  Walker  commenced  his  second  yearns 
labors,  the  main  citizens  of  the  place  were  as  below. 
The  names  are  found  in  a list  of  persons  who  voted 
for  town  trustees  in  August,  1833: 

E.  S.  Kimberly,  William  Ninson,  Hiram  Pear- 
son, Philo  Carpenter,  George  Chapman,  John 
Wright,  John  T.  Temple,  Matthias  Smith,  David 
Caron,  James  Kinzie,  Charles  Taylor,  John  S.  C. 
Hogan,  E.  A.  Rider,  D.  J.  Hapgood,  George  W. 
Snow,  Madore  Beaubien,  G.  Kercheval,  George  W. 
Dole,  Rich.  J.  Hamilton,  S.  E.  Gale,  E.  Darling, 
Wm.  H.  Adams,  C.  A.  Ballard,  John  Watkins,  and 
James  Gilbert.  The  trustees  of  the  town,  and  the 
first  ever  elected,  were  T.  J.  V.  Owen,  George  W. 
Dole,  Madore  Beaubien,  John  Miller,  and  E.  S. 
Kimberly. 

In  the  Chicago  Democrat ^ December,  1833,  the 


80 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


following  persons  not  named  above  had  advertise- 
ments: S.  B.  Cobb,  Walter  Kimball,  P.  F.  W. 
Peck,  R.  M.  Sweet,  A.  Clybourne,  John  Bates, 
Benj.  Jones,  Star  Foot,  C.  Harmon,  John  H.  Kin- 
zie,  S.  D.  Pierce,  and  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard. 

The  first  quarterly-meeting  of  this  second  year 
was  held  in  the  Fall  of  1833,  at  the  Watkins 
school-house.  This  building,  which  was  now  some- 
times used  by  the  Methodists,  stood  between  La 
Salle  and  Clark  Streets,  on  north  side  of  old  North 
Water  Street.  There  were  present  John  Sinclair, 
presiding  elder;  Jesse  Walker,  circuit  preacher; 
William  See  and  Henry  Whitehead,  local  preachers; 
Sister  See,  Charles  Wissencraft  and  wife,  Mrs.  R.  J. 
Hamilton,  and  Mrs.  Caroline  Harmon.  These  consti- 
tuted the  entire  Methodist  family  of  that  time.  In 
the  Spring  Charles  Wissencraft  became  leader.  This 
is  generally  cited  as  the  first  organization  of  a Meth- 
odist society.  There  certainly  was  a regular  class 
in  1831;  but  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  Sac 
war,  and  on  account  of  the  departure  of  the  main 
portions  of  the  class,  in  the  Summer  of  1833,  the 
class  became  very  small.  But  newcomers  in  the 
Fall  of  1833  gave  permanent  strength. 

The  first  Presbyterian  Church  of  twenty  mem- 
bers was  organized  June  26,  1833,  and  the  Baptist 
Church,  consisting  of  fourteen  members,  October 
19,  1833. 

During  the  Spring  and  Summer  of  1834  the  first 
building  that  may  be  called  a Methodist  church  was 
put  up.  It  w^as  commenced  and  carried  to  comple- 
tion by  the  enterprise  of  its  builders,  Henry  White- 


CHICAGO. 


81 


head  and Stewart.  It  was  erected  on  the 

North  Side,  where,  as  we  have  seen,  it  was  supposed 
the  main  part  of  the  town  would  be,  on  the  corner 
of  Water  and  Clark  Streets.  Though  small,  it  was 
to  the  little  band  a temple  indeed.  The  pulpit,  as 
soon  as  it  was  completed,  was  occupied  by  Brother 
Walker  and  his  local  preachers. 

During  this  year  Henry  Whitehead  and  Charles 
Wissencraft  held  weekly  prayer-meetings  in  the  fort 
for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers,  quite  a number  of 
whom  had  been  converted  under  the  labors  of  John 
Clark  and  Mr.  Whitehead  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Brother  James  Rockwell  arrived  in  Chicago  in 
1834,  while  Jesse  Walker  was  still  preaching  in 
the  ^^log  church  at  the  ^^Point.’^  A Sunday- 
school  was  organized,  and  Mr.  Rockwell  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent.  He  induced  the  children 
of  a half-breed,  Robinson  by  name,  and  other  In- 
dian children  to  attend  his  school,  so  that  he  had 
quite  a class.  The  Indians  were  Catholics,  but  he 
succeeded  in  interesting  them.  James  Rockwell 
continued  working,  chiefly  as  leader  of  singing  in 
the  Methodist  Sunday-school,  until  1838,  when  he 
moved  to  Batavia.  He  returned  to  Chicago  in 
1844,  and  remained  about  a year,  getting  up  much 
interest  in  the  Sunday-school  by  the  pleasant  man- 
ner in  which  he  conducted  the  singing.  The  school 
mentioned  above  is  the  first  Chicago  Methodist 
Sunday-school.  A union  school  had  been  organized 
in  1833,  which  in  1834  became  the  Presbyterian 
school.  At  one  time  it  was  held  in  WalkePs  log 
church.  This  school  of  RockwelPs  was  the  second 


82 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


in  town.  Jesse  Walker  reported,  at  the  end  of  this 
year,  twenty-five  members.  Then  the  old  pioneer 
laid  aside  his  armor,  and  took  a superannuated  re- 
lation, and  settled  on  the  Desplaines,  twelve  miles 
nearly  west  of  Chicago,  where,  a year  after  closing 
his  work  in  Chicago,  he  died  in  peace.  During  that 
year  he  was  frequently  in  town,  preaching  occasion- 
ally in  the  new  church. 

The  conference  of  1834  sent  John  T.  Mitchell  to 
Chicago.  This  was,  no  doubt,  one  of  the  most  ap- 
propriate appointments  that  could  have  been  made. 
He  was  then  a young  man  but  twenty-four  years  of 
age,  entering  upon  his  fourth  appointment  in  the 
conference,  and  giving  promise  of  the  noble  man- 
hood he  afterwards  attained  unto.  He  had  been 
the  two  years  previous  at  Galena. 

It  was  during  this  Summer  (1834)  that  one  hun- 
dred immigrants  arrived  at  Chicago  in  ten  days, 
and,  according  to  one  account,  steamboats  came 
around  the  lakes  from  Buffalo  for  the  first  time; 
and  also  it  was  this  Summer  the  first  vessel  was 
enabled  to  enter  the  river,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
vessels  discharged  cargoes  at  the  port.  The  whole 
number  of  votes  cast  in  Cook  County,  which  in- 
cluded Will  .and  Dupage,  was  five  hundred  and 
twenty-eight.  It  was  after  the  arrival  of  Mr. 
Mitchell  that  one  bear  and  forty  prairie  wolves 
were  killed  in  one  day  in  the  timber  extending 
from  the  Forks  on  the  East  Side  of  the  river  up 
to  Bridgeport. 

The  new  preacher  found  the  Methodists  worship- 
ing in  their  little  church,  not  more  than  twenty- 


CHICAGO. 


83 


four  by  thirty-eight,  with  a band,  when  all  were 
counted,  of  twenty-five  members  to  aid  him  in  his 
work,  and  an  excellent  little  Sunday-school  in  oper- 
ation. He  reached  the  place  in  September,  and 
entered  upon  his  work  with  zeal,  hunting  up  the 
scattered  sheep,  and  bringing  into  order  the  work- 
ings of  the  Church.  Jesse  Walker  was  a gatherer 
and  founder,  John  T.  Mitchell  was  a builder  and 
organizer. 

His  ministerial  neighbors  were  scarce  and  far 
away.  During  the  Winter  of  1835  he  received  a 
visit  from  the  nearest  Methodist  preacher  at  the 
North.  This  visitor  was  John  Clark,  who  was  la- 
boring among  the  Indians  at  Green  Bay.  He  had 
gone  on  a trip  to  Mackinaw,  and  being  belated  the 
lakes  froze  over,  and  he  must  remain  until  Spring, 
or  else  go  on  horseback  by  way  of  Detroit  and  Chi- 
cago. He  purchased  a pony  and  set  out  on  his 
route  of  over  six  hundred  miles.  We  quote  from 
Clark’s  report:  Friday ^ January  2,  1835.  Wind 

high  from  the  south,  with  squalls  of  snow;  stopped 
every  ten  miles  to  warm,  and  at  night  fell  four  miles 
short  of  Chicago.  Came  into  the  place  next  morn- 
ing and  found  a home  with  J.  T.  Mitchell,  the  mis- 
sionary for  that  station.  Chicago  must  soon  become 
a place  of  much  importance  in  trade  and  business. 

‘‘Sunday^  January  11.  Presented  the  subject  of 
Indian  missions,  and  took  a collection  of  twenty 
dollars  for  the  good  cause.  Of  this  amount  a good 
lady  contributed  a sovereign  ($5.00).  May  she  re- 
ceive of  gold  ^ tried  in  the  fire.’ 

Monday,  January  12.  Mr.  Bruce,  of  Cleveland, 


84 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


by  extra  effort  arrived  so  as  to  secure  my  company 
to  Green  Bay.  AVe  left  at  four  P.  M.,  and  came 
tAvelve  miles  to  Grosse  Point  (now  Evanston),  on  the 
west  side  of  the  lake.  Our  landlord  is  a Canadian 
Frenchman,  and  was  for  many  years  a fur  trader  on 
the  Columbia  River.  AVe  slept  before  a large  fire 
on  the  floor,  and  left  at  four  A.  M.,  feeling  our  way 
slowly  along  the  path  for  twelve  miles.  By  one 
o^clock  we  made  thirty  miles,  when  we  halted  by  a 
spring,  called  by  the  French  Belle  Fontaine.  AV^e 
kindled  a fire  by  a log,  which  served  as  a table. 
AVhile  we  and  our  beasts  were  appeasing  our  hunger 
the  horse  of  my  friend  suddenly  started  off  on  a 
smart  trot;  mine  followed,  and  in  ten  minutes  both 
were  out  of  sight.  I seized  my  pocket  compass  and 
we  started  in  pursuit,  but  soon  lost  their  tracks  and 
returned  to  our  camp.  Here  we  were  with  no  house 
ahead  for  twenty-two  miles,  and  none  in  the  rear 
short  of  thirty.  By  this  time  two  men  came  up  in 
a single  wagon,  one  of  whom  I hired  to  go  back 
with  my  friend  ten  or  twelve  miles  in  search  of  our 
beasts,  while  the  other  should  stay  with  me  over 
night.  At  eight  o^clock  next  morning  they  returned, 
but  no  horses  could  be  found.^^ 

Bruce  went  in  search  of  the  horses,  leaving  Mr. 
Clark  in  solitude.  Clark  spent  several  hours  in 
search  of  the  horses,  and  returned  to  camp  to  find 
a wolf  in  possession.  The  wolf  left,  and  Mr.  Clark, 
building  a good  fire,  prepared  for  the  night.  At 
dusk  the  wolf  returned,  and  coming  within  a hun- 
dred feet  of  where  Mr.  Clark  lay,  discovered  him  in 
possession  and  retired  a little  back.  I soon  lay 


CHICAGO. 


85 


down  and  slept/^  says  Mr.  Clark,  waking  at  inter- 
vals to  revive  my  fire,  and  each  time  the  wolf  stood 
within  pistol  shot,  but  as  I had  no  fire-arms  he  was 
safe.  The  night  was  windy,  with  some  rain,  and  at 
day  dawn,  on  Thursday,  January  15th,  it  snowed 
very  freely.^^ 

At  two  o^clock  on  this  day  Mr.  Bruce  returned 
in  a two-horse  wagon,  bound  for  Chicago.  They 
put  all  on  board  and  made  their  way  back,  arriving 
at  Grosse  Point  at  ten  at  night.  The  next  day 
they  went  on  to  Chicago,  where  they  found  their 
horses,  which  had  been  taken  up  four  miles  from 
town.  The  week  being  so  far  spent  they  concluded 
to  tarry  over  Sunday.  Brother  Clark  preached 
morning  and  evening.  He  says : In  the  afternoon 

I heard  a good  warm  sermon  from  that  venerable 
pioneer  of  the  West,  Jesse  Walker,  who  is  super- 
annuated and  settled  on  a farm  twelve  miles  west 
from  Chicago.^^ 

On  Monday,  January  19th,  they  left  again  for 
the  North,  and  made  their  way  safely  to  Green  Bay, 
and  thus  ended  this  most  welcome  visit  of  John 
Clark  to  John  T.  Mitchell,  the  lonely  Chicago 
preacher.  This  was  probably  Mr.  Clarkes  first  visit 
to  the  city  which  afterwards  became  the  scene  of 
his  most  arduous  labors  and  most  cheerful  successes. 

There  were  several  additions  to  the  Church  this 
year,  as  emigrants  began  to  come  in  briskly,  and 
Brother  Mitchell  was  enabled  to  report  at  confer- 
ence, in  1835,  sixty-nine  members,  among  whom 
was  one  negro. 


86 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

NEW  CIRCUITS  BETWEEN  1830  AND  1835. 

WHEN  Jesse  Walker  was  first  appointed  to 
Chicago  Mission  in  1830  the  work  embraced 
all  the  country  from  Chicago  to  Magnolia.  In  1831 
it  was  thought  best  to  set  off  Chicago  into  a charge 
by  itself.  All  the  remaining  territory  was  left  in 
one  circuit,  called  De  Plain — we  suppose  after  the 
Des  Plaines  River.  S.  R.  Beggs  went  to  Chicago, 
and  Jesse  Walker  continued  on  the  Des  Plaines 
portion.  The  appointments  for  the  year  were  at 
Yankee  Settlement,  a few  miles  east  of  Lockpoii:; 
at  Hawley^s,  four  miles  south-east  of  Naperville;  at 
the  forks  of  the  Dupage,  the  neighborhood  where 
Isaac  Scarritt  had  settled;  Walker’s  Grove  (now 
Plainfield) ; Ottawa,  where  there  was  a small  village 
on  the  south  side  of  Illinois  River;  Ox  Bow,  a 
settlement  near  Magnolia  in  Putnam  County;  on 
Sandy  Creek,  south  of  Magnolia,  and  at  Cedar  Point, 
a settlement  five  miles  south  of  Peru. 

Mr.  Walker  resided  at  the  time  at  Walker’s 
Grove.  His  work  was  prosecuted  but  six  months 
when  the  Black  Hawk  war  broke  out,  and  as  the 
country  included  in  his  circuit  was  the  principal 
theater  of  the  outbreak,  most  of  his  year’s  work  is 
enveloped  in  the  history  of  the  war.  The  people 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


87 


were  scattered  like  sheep  before  wolves,  and  little 
was  done  during  the  year.  Thirty-four  members 
Avere  reported  at  conference. 

At  the  conference  held  at  Jacksonville,  Septem- 
ber, 1832,  Jesse  Walker  was  removed  to  Chicago 
and  S.  R.  Beggs  sent  to  Des  Plaines  Mission. 
Brother  Beggs,  who  lived  at  Walker^s  Grove,  found 
a four  weeks’  circuit  to  be  supplied.  The  appoint- 
ments were  at  Walker’s  Grove;  Yankee  Settlement; 
Hickory  Creek,  at  Aaron  Moore’s,  three  miles  south- 
east of  Joliet;  Jackson’s  Grove,  six  miles  south  of 
Joliet ; Reed’s  Grove,  three  miles  south  of  Jackson’s 
Grove;  Naper’s  Grove;  Hawley’s,  at  forks  of  Du- 
page ; Daniel  Pierce’s  (now  Oswego) ; Holderman’s 
Grove;  Falls  of  Fox  River,  at  J.  Green’s  (now 
Dayton),  six  miles  above  Ottawa;  Ottawa,  at  Sister 
Pembroke’s ; Martin  Reynolds’s,  over  the  Illinois 
River,  south  of  Lasalle ; Ausable  Grove,  and  Batch- 
elor’s Grove,  twenty  miles  south-west  of  Chicago. 
All  the  preaching  places  were  private  houses.  Most 
of  these  appointments  were  established  in  the  Spring 
of  1833.  Speculation  began  to  run  high,  and  the 
preacher  could  hardly  get  a sinner  to  stand  or  sit 
long  enough  to  hear  a Gospel  sermon,  yet  he  would 
follow  them  to  their  houses,  and  converse  with 
them  on  the  high  way,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God 
some  were  converted.” 

When  Mr.  Beggs  first  went  to  Jackson’s  Grove 
to  preach  he  asked  if  there  was  any  one  Avho  would 
open  his  house  for  preaching.  The  neighbors 
were  called  together,  and  a council  held  on  the  part 
of  the  people  to  decide  as  to  the  propriety  of  the 


88 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Gospel  being  introduced  to  disturb  their  quiet,  as 
nothing  of  the  kind  had  been  introduced  up  to  that 
time.  The  result  of  the  deliberation  was  favorable. 
It  was  concluded  the  preacher  could  do  them  no 
harm,  as  they  were  all  so  united  their  craft  was 
in  no  danger.  When  a door  was  opened  the  preacher 
^^went  at  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,^^  but  it 
was  for  a time  doubtful  which  way  the  battle  would 
turn;  yet  the  fire  was  kept  up^^  until  a camp- 
meeting was  held  at  Reed^s  Grove.  The  camp- 
meeting commenced  and  continued  for  three  days 
before  much  of  a move  was  made ; then  the  hosts 
of  Israel  raised  the  shout  of  victory,  and  you  may 
depend  upon  it  there  was  slaughter  among  the  Phil- 
istines.^^ There  were  but  three  persons  present  that 
did  not  profess  religion,  and  they  were  forward  for 
prayers. 

In  the  Fall  of  1832,  before  conference.  Brother 
Beggs  was  passing  through  the  country,  and  put  up 
for  the  night  at  Captain  NapeFs.  The  captain  was 
kind,  but  when  the  preacher  proposed  prayer  Mr. 
Naper  remarked  that  he  had  no  objection  to  others 
praying  as  much  as  they  liked,  but  he  had  never 
had  prayer  in  his  house  and  did  not  now  wish  to 
swerve  from  his  usual  course.  He  had  his  opinions 
about  the  matter  and  allowed  others  to  have  theirs* 
Brother  Beggs  was  content  to  say  his  own  prayers 
in  silence  by  his  bedside.  The  next  day,  which 
was  Sunday,  Mr.  Beggs  preached  in  a private  house 
to  twenty  hearers.  The  preaching  place  was  half  a 
mile  to  the  north-west  of  Naperville.  This  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  first  sermon  in  that  neighborhood. 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


89 


At  the  close  of  the  year^  at  the  conference  which 
met  at  Union  Grove,  St.  Clair  County,  in  1833, 
fifty-seven  members  were  reported  from  this  mis- 
sion, and  Brother  Beggs  was  reappointed  to  the 
work. 

This  year  the  tide  of  speculation  rose  higher  than 
ever ; it  seemed  as  it  most  of  the  people  were  bent 
on  making  their  fortunes  if  they  lost  their  souls.^^ 
Yet  the  preacher’s  labors  were  not  altogether  in 
vain.  The  last  quarterly-meeting  of  the  year  was 
held  in  connection  with  a camp-meeting  near 
Walker’s  Mill,  one  and  a half  miles  from  where 
Plainfield  now  stands.  It  was  a time  of  refreshing 
to  believers,  and  many  sinners  were  converted  to 
God. 

This  was  the  first  year  John  Sinclair  was  on  the 
Chicago  District.  Mr.  Beggs  accompanied  him  to 
his  quarterly-meeting  at  Galena,  and  on  their  return 
they  held  a very  fine  camp-meeting  near  Princeton. 

Another  camp-meeting  was  held  at  Hickory 
Creek,  where  there  was  a glorious  time.”  The 
year  was  a prosperous  one,  and  as  a token  of  this 
one  hundred  and  seventeen  members,  twelve  preach- 
ing places,  and  two  Sunday-schools  were  reported 
in  1834.  Brother  Beggs  had  received  $51.50  as 
quarterage.  Be  it  known  that  this  was  the  receipts 
on  a claim  of  $200.00  quarterage,  ^ and  did  not 
include  table  expenses,  which  were  not  reported  to 
conference. 

At  the  conference  held  at  Mt.  Carmel  in  October, 
1834,  David  Blackwell,  was  appointed  to  Des 

Plaines  Mission.  This  brother,  the  son  of  a min- 

8 


90 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


ister^  and  the  brother  of  one  or  two  other  ministers, 
one  of  whom,  H.  C.  Blackwell,  died  in  1859,  being 
a member  of  Rock  River  Conference,  was  born 
in  Madison  County,  Kentucky,  in  April,  1805,  and 
was  accordingly  about  thirty  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  appointment  to  Des  Plaines.  He  came 
to  Southern  Illinois  in  1829,  and  was  converted 
and  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1830, 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Kaskaskia  Circuit.  He  was 
licensed  to  exhort  in  1833,  and  traveled  a circuit  a 
portion  of  the  same  year.  Traveling  in  the  employ 
of  the  elder  until  the  conference  of  1834  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Illinois  Conference  and  sent,  as  we 
have  seen,  to  Des  Plaines.  The  next  year  he  was 
reappointed,  but  on  account  of  sickness  did  not  at- 
tend to  his  work.  In  1836  he  professed  the  bless- 
ing of  perfect  love,  and  after  the  old  sort  enjoyed 
this  fullness  until  death.  While  at  Alton  in  1838 
many  souls  were  converted.  In  1839,  while  on 
the  Lacon  Circuit,  he  married  Lucinda  Watkins. 
In  1844  he  was  appointed  to  Mt.  Vernon,  and  while 
on  that  charge  preached  his  last  sermon,  August  5, 
1845.  From  this  time  until  July  7,  1848,  he  lin- 
gered along  nearing  the  grave;  at  the  date  just 
given  he  ceased  to  suffer  and  to  live  on  earth.  His 
end  was  like  that  of  all  the  faithful.  ^^I^m  going 
this  time,^^  he  said  to  his  mother-in-law;  and  clap- 
ping his  hands,  exclaimed,  ^^I  am  going  to  Jesus.^^ 
Precious  Jesus  were  the  last  words  he  uttered, 
and  with  the  name  of  his  Savior  on  his  lips  he  took 
his  departure  from  all  on  earth  to  enter  the  pearly 
gates  left  ajar  for  all  such  to  enter. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


91 


He  was  a preacher  of  more  than  ordinary  talent 
and  usefulness,  though  a man  of  much  severe  afflic- 
tion. He  was  a fine  young  man/^  says  one  of  his 
compeers,  ^^and  much  loved.^^ 

At  the  time  David  Blackwell  was  appointed  to 
Des  Plaines  Mission  it  embraced  all  the  territory 
east  of  Fox  River,  from  Plainfield  to  Naperville, 
and  south  to  Reed^s  Grove,  and  all  the  settlements 
east  of  this  line.  He  organized  the  first  class  in 
Joliet.  At  the  last  quarterly-meeting  of  the  year 
held  at  Mr.  Zarley^s,  on  Spring  Creek,  September 
5,  1835,  a committee  was  appointed  to  secure  a lot 
in  ^^the  town  of  Juliet,^^  which  town  was  laid  out 
a year  before.  At  the  conference  of  1835  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  members  were  reported  from  the 
Des  Plaines  work. 

In  1833  the  Des  Plaines  Mission  was  divided, 
and  that  portion  of  the  country  lying  along  Fox 
River,  north  of  Ottawa,  was  called  Ottawa  Mission, 
and  William  Royal  appointed  to  the  work.  This 
brother  was  born  in  1796,  February  24th,  near  Win- 
chester, Virginia,  and  moved  to  Ohio  with  his 
fathePs  family  when  a boy.  In  June,  1827,  he 
came  to  Illinois  and  settled  seven  miles  from  Spring- 
field,  where  he  plied  his  trade  of  potter.  In  1830 
he  was  employed  with  A.  E.  Phelps  on  Salt  Creek 
Circuit.  In  1831  he  was  admitted  to  the  Illinois 
Conference,  and  appointed  to  Fort  Clark  (Peoria) 
Mission.  This  work  extended  to  Ottawa  on  the 
Illinois  River,  and  required  hard  travel  and  hard 
labor.  He  received  during  the  year  the  extrava- 
gant amount  of  eighteen  and  three-fourths  cents  in 


92 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


cash  ; he  received  other  support,  but  it  came  in  pro- 
visions. In  1832  he  was  on  Bloomington  Circuit; 
in  1833  on  Ottawa,  and  in  1835  on  Fox  River 
Mission.  During  the  year  1836  he  explored  the 
country  between  Fox  and  Rock  Rivers,  and  went 
over  the  trackless  prairies  and  bridgeless  streams 
establishing  appointments  and  organizing  classes  at 
places  that  have  since  become  Marengo,  Rockford, 
Belvidere,  and  other  towns.  His  last  appointment 
in  this  country  was  Newark  Circuit,  to  which  he 
was  appointed  in  1848.  In  1849  he  took  a super- 
annuated relation,  and  in  1853  went  across  the  plains 
to  Oregon  with  his  son  Fletcher.  In  Oregon  he 
did  effective  work,  being  engaged  for  some  time  as 
a kind  of  sailors^  missionary  at  Portland,  Oregon. 
He  died  some  years  ago. 

The  appointments  on  Ottawa  Mission  extended 
from  Dayton,  six  miles  above  Ottawa,  to  Sandy 
Creek,  in  Putnam  County,  where  William  RoyaPs 
family  lived,  and  to  Princeton,  on  the  west.  He 
had  many  a long  Winter  ride  to  reach  his  northern 
appointments.  One  hundred  and  sixty-eight  mem- 
bers were  reported  at  the  end  of  the  year  ; but  most 
of  the  societies  were  south  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference  bounds. 

Brother  Royal  was  returned  to  the  work  in  1834, 
which  remained  about  the  same  as  the  year  before. 
Toward  the  close  of  the  year  a glorious  camp-meet- 
ing was  held  at  Sulphur  Springs,  on  Fox  River, 
above  Ottawa,  attended  with  great  power.  Among 
the  most  surprising  things,  for  that  day  especially, 
was  the  taking  up  of  a hat  collection  amounting  to 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


93 


one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  dollars.  A local 
preacher  by  the  name  of  Gunn  threw  in  one  hun- 
dred dollars  of  this  in  the  shape  of  two  fifty-dollar 
bills.  The  preacher  lived  through  the  infliction ! 
A neat  frame  church  was  erected  at  Ottawa  about 
the  year  1847. 

A new  circuit  appeared  in  1834,  Bureau  by 
name,  formed  from  the  northern  portion  of  what, 
two  years  before,  had  been  the  Peoria  Mission. 
The  main  appointments  were  on  Bureau  River,  in 
the  vicinity  of  what  afterwards  became  Princeton. 
S.  R.  Beggs  was  appointed  to  the  work. 

At  the  conference  of  1832  Zadoc  Hall  was  given 
the  task  of  going  up  the  west  side  of  the  Illinois 
River,  above  Peoria,  to  explore  the  country  and  his 
circuit,  called  Peoria  Mission.  He  set  out  estab- 
lishing appointments  and  organizing  classes.  The 
appointments  in  the  bounds  of  the  present  Rock 
River  Conference,  and  those  that  made  the  Bureau 
Circuit  in  1834,  were  at  Mr.  Smith’s,  north  of 
Princeton,  on  Bureau  River,  where  the  people  were 
principally  Presbyterians,  so  that  there  was  no  class ; 
at  Troy  Grove,  at  Brother  Johnson’s,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Grove,  where  there  was  a class,  the 
members  being  John  Johnson,  leader  and  steward, 
and  his  wife,  Hiram  Barnhart,  and  Sister  Wickson; 
at  John  Long’s,  on  the  bank  of  the  Little  Vermil- 
ion, below  the  bluff,  near  La  Salle,  where  there  was 
a class,  whose  members  were  John  Long,  Eleanor 
Long,  Margaret  Long,  and  Sister  Hays  ; at  Miller’s, 
six  miles  below  Peru,  where  Brother  Miller  and  wife 
and  some  of  their  children,  Brother  and  Sister  Scott 


94 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  their  children,  were  members ; at  John  HalPs, 
on  Little  Bureau,  where  there  were  fifteen  members, 
with  John  Hall  as  leader.  John  HalPs  wife  and 
daughter,  Edward  Hall,  a local  elder,  and  wife  were 
among  the  other  members.  At  Abraham  Jones’s, 
two  miles  west  of  Princeton,  the  members  were 
James  Hays,  Betsy  Hays,  Abraham  Jones,  Polly 
Jones,  Eliza  Epperson,  Burton  and  Susannah  Jones, 
Robert  Clark  and  wife,  and  Sister  Smith.  This 
class  was  afterwards  removed  to  Princeton,  and  is 
the  beginning  of  that  pleasant  charge.  The  preach- 
er’s work  in  1833,  when  in  the  northern  part  of 
this  circuit,  was  somewhat  like  this : On  Thursday, 
travel  twenty-five  miles  to  Troy  Grove,  preach,  and 
lead  class;  Friday,  go  to  John  Long’s,  preach,  and 
lead  class ; Saturday,  Brother  Miller’s ; Sunday  at 
eleven,  preach  at  Brother  Hall’s ; in  the  afternoon, 
preach  at  Jones’s ; on  Monday,  return  home  by  way 
of  Hennepin  and  Magnolia,  making  in  all  three 
hundred  miles’  ride  around  the  mission.  During 
the  year  Brother  Hall  traveled  about  six  thousand 
miles,  and  reported  seventy-two  members  at  confer- 
ence. His  belief  is  that  he  preached  the  first  ser- 
mons at  Abraham  Jones’s,  Troy  Grove,  John  Long’s, 
and  Miller’s,  and  formed  the  first  class  at  all  the  ap- 
pointments named  in  the  above  list.  Princeton  was 
laid  out  in  the  Winter  of  1833,  so  we  observe  that 
a class  was  formed  about  a year  before  the  town 
was  begun. 

The  Edward  Hall  mentioned  above  was  grand- 
father of  Libbie  and  Rachel  Hall,  the  two  young 
women  taken  prisoners  by  the  Indians  at  Indian 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


95 


Greeks  in  1832.  He  was  one  of  the  best  of  local 
preachers,  plain,  pointed,  and  a good  member.  He 
was  a soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  fought  in  sev- 
eral battles  in  the  army  of  the  South,  and,  although 
in  the  service  nearly  the  whole  of  the  seven  years 
of  the  war,  he  never  saw  General  Washington.  He 
was  with  General  Marion  principally,  fighting  tories. 
He  was  once  taken  prisoner  by  the  English ; but 
one  night,  while  marching  and  riding  his  own  horse, 
when  it  was  very  dark,  he  reined  his  horse  so  that 
he  would  march  out  of  line,  and  halted.  The  horse 
stood  perfectly  quiet  until  the  whole  company  passed 
by;  then  taking  the  back  track,  he  soon  arrived  at 
home,  and  in  a short  time  joined  his  comrades  in 
the  army.  He  remained  thereafter  in  the  ranks 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

In  1833  the  northern  part  of  Peoria  Mission  was 
attached  to  Ottawa  Mission,  on  which  charge  Will- 
iam Royal  was  preacher.  He  had  been  Abraham 
Joneses  preacher  further  south,  and  in  seeking  his 
way  around  his  new  charge  in  1833,  Brother  Royal 
became  belated  one  night,  and  found  his  way  to 
Joneses  by  the  crowing  of  the  fowls.  Mr.  Joneses 
log  house  was  unfinished — roof  of  slabs,  puncheon 
floor;  windows  and  doors  there  were  none.  Brother 
Royal  pulled  aside  the  quilt  which  served  as  a door, 
and  seeing  who  was  within,  exclaimed,  ^^Well,  I 
guess  I am  at  home  at  last!^^  He  found  a ready 
welcome. 

In  1834  the  country  around  Princeton  was  made 
to  constitute  Bureau  Mission,  S.  R.  Beggs,  preacher. 
The  appointments  were  at  Boston  settlement  (near 


96 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Earl) ; Pawpaw  Grove,  at  the  house  of  Benjamin 
Harris ; Mulugin  Grove ; three  appointments  from 
the  head  timbers  of  Bureau  Creek  to  Abraham 
Joneses;  West  Bureau;  Indiantown  (Tiskilwa) ; 
John  HalPs;  Brother  ScotPs;  John  Long’s,  near 
La  Salle;  Judge  Strawn’s,  five  miles  below  Ottawa; 
and  Troy  Grove.  There  was  a good  work  during 
the  year.  Mr.  Beggs  held,  as  was  his  custom,  a 
number  of  two-days’  meetings,  and  a most  sweep- 
ing one  ” at  Brother  Scott’s,  at  the  winding  up  of 
the  year’s  labors.  One  hundred  members  were  re- 
turned in  1835^  and  a collection  of  seventy  dollars 
for  the  mission  cause  reported. 


GALENA. 


97 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GALENA  FROM  1830  TO  1835. 

Let  us  return  to  Galena^  and  resume  the  narra- 
tive from  the  point  where  we  left  it  at  the 
conference  in  1830.  At  this  conference  Smith  L. 
Robinson  was  appointed  to  the  work,  and  in  1831 
reappointed.  During  these  years  the  Methodist 
meetings  were  usually  held  in  an  upper  story  of  Mr. 
Waddle^s  house,  situated  on  Main  Street,  having  an 
entrance  from  Bench  Street.  Be  it  known  to  all  who 
have  never  seen  Galena,  that  most  romantically  sit- 
uated town  in  Illinois,  that  the  streets  lie  one  above 
another  like  terraces,  so  that  in  entering  a door  on 
Bench  Street,  you  will  find  yourself  in  the  third 
story  of  a building  fronting  on  Main  Street.  This 
house  of  Mr.  Waddle^s  stood  not  far  from  the  pres- 
ent Methodist  church.  They  also  frequently  wor- 
shiped in  Mr.  Kent^s  Presbyterian  church,  when 
Mr.  Kent  was  not  using  it. 

The  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  in  the  Summer 
of  1830  numbered  from  sixty  to  ninety  scholars, 
with  a library  of  seventy-five  volumes.  Although 
Mr.  Kent  arrived  in  the  Spring  of  1829,  a Presby- 
terian society  was  not  organized  until  October  23, 
1831.  It  consisted,  at  the  time  of  organization,  of 
six  members.  Some  weeks  before,  the  Methodist 

9 


98 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


preacher  had  reported  seventy-five  members  from 
Galena  and  the  regions  around. 

The  Sabbath  after  the  organization  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  the  Lord’s-supper  was  adminis- 
tered^ Mr.  Kent  being  assisted  by  Reeves  Carmack, 
the  Methodist  local  preacher,  and  S.  L.  Robinson, 
the  preacher  on  Galena  Mission.  An  historical  no- 
tice of  that  Church  says : The  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson 

adverted  in  his  remarks  very  happily  to  the  circum- 
stance that  it  was  the  first  sacrametal  occasion  ever 
enjoyed  in  this  district  of  country  for  a distance  of 
several  hundred  miles.^^  The  sacrament  was  admin- 
istered at  a quarterly-meeting  in  Chicago  in  Jan- 
uary, 1832,  the  first  known  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  State ; so  this  at  Galena  was  probably  really  the 
first  in  the  upper  country.^^ 

In  1831  Mr.  Robinson  reported  seventy-five 
members ; in  1832,  but  twenty-two.  These  two 
years  at  Galena  were  all  he  ever  traveled  in  the 
Rock  River  Conference  bounds.  He  was  born  in 
1806  in  Kentucky,  a State  that  furnished  us  so 
many  of  our  earliest  and  best  ministers.  The  Meth- 
odist Church  has  drawn  from  thence  some  of  her 
most  eloquent  and  useful  men.  Mr.  Robinson^s 
parents  were  Presbyterians,  who  early  immigrated  to 
Southern  Illinois.  He  experienced  religion  when 
nineteen  years  of  age,  and  joining  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  was  within  a year  received  into 
the  traveling  connection  in  the  Illinois  Conference, 
and  appointed  to  Paoli,  in  Indiana.  The  next  year 
(1827)  he  was  appointed  to  Peoria;  in  1828,  to 
Kaskaskia;  1829,  to  Sangamon;  1830,  to  Galena; 


GALENA, 


99 


1832,  to  Lebanon;  1833,  agent  of  Lebanon  Sem- 
inary; 1834,  to  Jacksonville.  In  1835  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Indiana  Conference  and  stationed 
at  Terre  Haute,  where  he  labored  with  great  accept- 
ability and  usefulness.  He  attended  conference  at 
Indianapolis  in  1836,  when  he  was  placed  in  a su- 
perannuated relation.  A few  days  after  the  session 
he  died,  in  hope  of  admittance,  through  the  Savior, 
within  the  gates  of  the  heavenly  city,  and  was  buried 
by  the  side  of  John  Strange.  He  could  not  speak 
during  his  dying  hours,  but  gave  signs  that  all  was 
well. 

John  T.  Mitchell  first  appeared  in  the  bounds  of 
the  conference  in  1832  when  he  was  stationed  in 
Galena.  He  had  been  a member  of  conference  a 
year,  and  was  but  twenty-two  years  of  age.  Let 
not  the  old  men  complain  if  the  young  men  do 
enter  our  fields.  The  history  of  the  Church  has 
ever  shown  that  her  most  hardy  pioneers  have  been 
the  young  men.  John  T.  Mitchell  was  presiding 
elder  at  thirty.  He  found  at  Galena  in  1832  about 
one  hundred  and  sixty  buildings  and  a population 
of  one  thousand,  the  place  being  in  advance  of 
Chicago  by  several  years.  The  appointments  of  the 
circuit,  for  it  was  such,  were  at  Blue  Mound ; Platt- 
ville,  where  Mr.  MitchelPs  father  settled  previous 
to  1840;  Mineral  Point;  Galena,  and  Dodgeville. 
The  preacher  resided  in  Galena. 

In  the  Summer  of  1833  a lot  was  purchased, 
and  the  foundations  laid  for  a Methodist  church. 
The  lot  was  the  same  occupied  by  the  old  Methodist 
church  of  1854.  It  was  bought  from  John  Atchi- 


100 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


son.  The  original  quitclaim  deed  was  in  Ga- 
lena in  1861.  It  contained  the  names  of  the  first 
board  of  trustees^  which  Avere  Leonard  Ross,  Will- 
iam A.  Jordan,  George  W.  Campbell,  and  John 
01i\^er.  The  Avork  of  building  commenced,  and  aided 
by  citizens  of  all  classes  a plain  frame  church  tAventy- 
six  by  forty  feet  was  erected.  It  was  surmounted 
by  a neat  cupola,  in  which  a bell  was  soon  placed, 
three  hundred  pounds  in  weight.  No  basement, 
no  curtains,  no  carpets,  seats  movable,  in  all  things 
it  was  a plain  house.  The  new  church  was  dedi- 
cated at  a quarterly -meeting  by  John  Sinclair,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Chicago  District,  and  as  he  came 
on  the  district  in  the  Fall  of  1833  the  dedication 
was  probably  late  in  that  year.  Having  a church, 
a Sunday-school  was  organized  by  Brother  Mitchell, 
and  William  A.  Jordan  appointed  superintendent. 

It  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  former  pages  that 
the  Methodist  church  in  Chicago  was  not  built 
until  a year  after,  and  this  was  accordingly  the  first 
regular  ehurch  in  the  conferenee  bounds.  Mr. 
Mitehell  on  leaving  Galena  in  1834  for  Chicago 
left  one  of  the  only  two  Methodist  churches  in  our 
bounds  and  went  to  the  other.  These  tAvo  churches, 
standing  at  the  antipodes  of  the  country,  were 
nearly  of  a size  and  make.  The  last  relics  of  the 
Chicago  church  disappeared  from  Dearborn  Street 
in  the  Summer  of  1864;  the  Galena  church  was 
burned  down  in  1838. 

During  this  year  Brother  MitchelPs  nearest 
neighbor  east  Avas  the  preacher  at  Chicago,  and  at 
the  north  John  Clark  at  Green  Bay,  and  on  the 


GALENA. 


101 


south  far  below  Eock  Island.  From  his  large  cir- 
cuit the  pastor  reported  in  1833  forty-eight  mem- 
bers. 

In  1833  the  mission  was  called  Galena  and 
De  Buke/^  with  Barton  Kandle  and  J.  T.  Mitchell 
preachers.  Mr.  Mitchell  resided  at  Galena,  and  had 
the  charge  principally  of  that  portion  of  the  work. 
The  mission  thus  united  reported  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  members  at  conference.  In  May, 
1834,  Barton  Randle  organized  a class  at  Dubuque. 

In  1834  the  Galena  District  was  constituted,  and 
Hooper  Crews  appointed  to  Galena,  and  also  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  district. 

In  September,  1834,  during  the  session  of  the 
Kentucky  Conference,  Mr.  Crews,  then  a young  man 
about  twenty-eight  years  old,  came  up  from  Ken- 
tucky to  Illinois  on  a visit  to  some  friends.  While 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Mt.  Carmel,  the  Illinois 
Conference  met  there  and  Brother  Crews  attended 
the  sessions.  Bishop  Roberts  presided,  and  mani- 
fested much  earnestness  in  his  persuasions  to  induce 
Brother  Crews  to  go  to  Galena.  He  was  then  a 
single  man,  and  had  just  been  appointed  to  Cyn- 
thiana  Station,  Kentucky.  Bishop  Roberts  agreed 
to  take  the  responsibility,  remarking  that,  ^^episco- 
pacy is  equal  to  episcopacy  the  world  over.^^  After 
a night  of  reflection  Brother  Crews  consented  to  go. 
He  set  out  at  once,  and  as  was  the  universal  custom 
in  those  days,  traveled  on  horseback.  He  passed 
through  Lawrenceville,  Shelbyville,  Springfield, 
Lewiston,  Canton,  Knoxville,  and  Rock  Island,  on 
to  Galena,  a lonely  route  in  that  day.  He  had 


102  ' 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


charge  of  four  circuits  besides  Galena,  which  he 
served  as  pastor.  Iowa  Mission  was  in  Wisconsin, 
and  took  its  name  from  Iowa  County.  It  included 
ail  the  mines  then  worked  in  Wisconsin  Territory. 
Lorenzo  Bevans  was  in  charge.  The  Dubuque 
Mission  included  all  the  mines  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River.  Rock  Island  embraced  all  the  settle- 
ments around  old  Fort  Armstrong  on  both  sides  of 
the  river. 

Brother  Crews  reached  this  world  of  work  in 
the  month  of  October,  and  arrived  in  Galena  a new 
pastor  of  a new  Church.  In  old  files  of  the  Galena 
Advertiser,  at  the  time  Mr.  Crews  appeared,  we  have 
descriptions  of  Galena.  The  houses  are  of  wood, 
save  two,  and  are  built  principally  on  two  streets, 
called  Lower  and  Bench  Streets.  There  are  about 
fifteen  stores  and  about  the  same  number  of  gro- 
ceries (or  groggeries),  and  all  appear  to  do  well. 
Three  clergymen  reside  here,  Presbyterian,  Metho- 
dist, and  Episcopal — industrious  and  pious  men.^^ 
Another  article  gives  an  account  of  a Sunday-school 
celebration  on  the  4th  of  July,  1835.  The  schools 
met  at  the  Presbyterian  Church,  where  prayer  was 
offered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Kent,  the  Declaration  read  by 
Dr.  H.  Newhall,  and  an  oration  delivered  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Tullige,  the  Episcopal  minister. 

The  Advertiser  for  August,  1835,  says:  There 

are  in  Galena  twenty  places  where  ardent  spirits 
are  sold — retailed  by  the  glass  every  day  in  the 
week,  Sabbaths  not  excepted.  One-half  of  our 
merchants  transact  more  or  less  business  on  the 
Sabbath.  There  are  more  gambling  houses  than 


GALENA, 


103 


places  of  worship,  and  twenty  or  thirty  professed 
gamblers  residing  in  the  city/^  This  is  a sad  pic- 
ture, but  Chicago  was  not  behind  in  this  sort  of 
sad  notoriety.  The  number  of  inhabitants  remained 
at  one  thousand,  and  as  new  mines  were  being  opened 
in  new  parts  the  settlers  were  shifting  and  transient. 

On  arriving  at  Galena  in  October,  1834  Brother 
Crews  found'- Aratus  Kent  on  the  ground  with  a 
small  congregation.  The  two  preachers  made  ar- 
rangements whereby  they  would  not  both  be  absent 
from  town  on  the  same  Sabbath.  Galena  was  at 
this  time  the  second  town  in  size  in  the  State,  Alton 
being  the  first. 

In  a short  time  there  came  a company  of  young 
men,  who  organized  a Thespian  Society,  which  was 
really  a theater.  In  those  days  there  were  very  few 
women  in  town,  but  many  young  men.  These  the- 
atrical performances  had  a very  bad  effect,  and  Mr. 
Crews  determined  to  attack  them.  The  next  Sab- 
bath he  opened  his  batteries,  and  a struggle  followed. 
Monday  morning  he  went  to  the  post-office  and  met 
Dr.  Graw.  He  immediately  said : Mr.  Crews,  I 

had  .made  up  my  mind  to  cane  you,  and  if  I had 
met  you  yesterday  I should  have  done  it.^^ 

Mr.  Crews  replied : I doubt  it  very  much.’^ 

Dr.  Graw  looked  very  much  surprised,  and  said : 
^^You  don’t  mean  to  intimate  that  you  would  not 
have  submitted?” 

You  will  never  cane  me  unless  I fail  to  cane 
you,”  Crews  replied. 

You  have  more  pluck  than  I thought  you  had,” 
Dr.  Graw  rejoined. 


104 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


I have  preached  nothing  but  truth/^  said  Crews. 

Convince  me  that  I am  wrong  and  I will  take  it 
all  back.  You  know  that  I have  preached  the 
truth.'' 

^^Yes/'  said  Graw,  ^^'tis  true;  go  ahead,  and  I 
will  help  you  all  I can." 

Jordan,  a young  man,  a clerk  w^ho  was  the  main 
steward  in  the  Church,  had  made  arrangements  for 
the  support  of  the  preacher  to  the  effect  that  if  the 
Missionary  Society  would  give  them  a hundred  dol- 
lars they  would  try  to  raise  enough  to  pay  the 
preacher's  board.  Many  not  connected  with  the 
Church  had  subscribed  who  gave  notice  that  they 
would  not  pay  unless  Mr.  Crews  would  cease  op- 
posing the  Thespian  Society.  Mr.  Crews  told  Jor- 
dan to  inform  them  that  he  would  refund  what 
money  any  of  this  class  had  paid  if  they  desired, 
but  that  he  was  bound  to  remain  there.  He  was 
then  thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  He  rented  a 
room  and  moved  his  things  into  it.  The  next  Sab- 
bath he  again  made  remarks  upon  the  theatrical 
performances.  After  service,  when  sitting  in  the 
sitting-room  at  his  boarding  place,  a lady  passed 
through  the  room  and  said : “ I suppose  you  think 
you  have  been  smart  to-day  ? " I do  n't  know  that 
I have  any  reason  to  congratulate  myself,"  Crews 
replied.  ^^Well,"  said  the  lady,  ^^you  may  say  what 
you  will  against  the  theater,  for  myself  I shall  go 
there  whenever  I please."  I would  just  as  soon 
you  Avould  go  to  hell  as  any  body  I know,"  said 
Crews.  In  a short  time  he  went  to  get  a drink  and 
found  her  crying.  He  said  he  did  not  wish  to 


GALENA, 


105 


wound  her  feelings.  Perhaps  he  had  spoken  harshly, 
and  advised  her  to  pursue  a different  course.  She 
made  no  reply,  but  in  less  than  four  weeks  she 
united  with  Mr.  KenPs  Church. 

Brother  Crews  was  soon  obliged  to  sell  his  fa- 
vorite horse  ^^Luby^^  to  pay  expenses.  In  the 
course  of  the  Winter  he  set  out  to  attend  a quar- 
terly-meeting at  Vinegar  Hill,  about  ten  miles  from 
Galena.  Soon  after  he  set  out  it  commenced  snow- 
ing very  hard.  He  concluded  that  the  safest  way 
would  be  to  go  to  the  Mississippi.  He  steered  his 
course  by  going  from  one  tree  to  another.  Being 
on  foot  he  became  damp  with  perspiration.  The 
wind  shifted  to  the  north-west,  and  blew  full  in  his 
face.  Being  weary  and  hungry  he  soon  began  to 
grow  sleepy,  and  fell  and  rose  repeatedly.  From  what 
he  had  heard  of  freezing  he  concluded  that  he  was 
freezing  to  death.  He  thought  of  his  mother,  and 
what  a sad  thing  it  would  be  to  perish  in  the  snow 
and  leave  his  body  for  the  wolves.  While  in  the 
presence  of  this  peril  he  would  go  to  sleep  and  fall, 
and  then  remembering  what  danger  threatened  him 
he  would  arouse  himself  and  go  on.  He  finally 
near  sundown  reached  the  house  he  was  seeking, 
and  sat  down  speechless  and  senseless.  Mr.  Sim- 
mons and  wife  set  to  work  with  tub  and  water  and 
brought  him  out  of  the  arms  of  death.  It  was  four 
weeks  ere  he  could  leave  the  place,  and  then  he 
could  not  wear  his  boots.  His  kind  host  took  him 
in  a sleigh  to  Galena.  It  was  now  March.  When 
navigation  opened  the  old  theater  was  turned  into 
a warehouse,  and  this  trouble  for  a time  ended. 


106 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


But  the  ills  of  the  severe  shock  Mr.  Crews  re- 
ceived on  that  trip  to  Vinegar  Hill  were  not  yet 
removed.  About  two  weeks  after  his  return  one 
night  he  awoke  very  sick  and  began  to  vomit.  He 
arose  to  strike  a light,  but  fell  to  the  floor,  where 
he  lay  all  night.  In  the  morning  he  hoped  no  one 
would  come  in,  for  he  felt  as  though  he  would 
rather  do  any  thing  than  receive  favors  from  the 
men  about  him.  The  day  passed  away  and  nobody 
came.  The  next  day  a young  man  came  in  on  an 
errand.  Crews  begged  him  not  to  inform  the  peo- 
ple of  his  sickness,  but  the  young,  man  told  Mr. 
Crews  where  he  was  wrong,  and  sent  for  Dr.  New- 
hall.  When  the  doctor  left  several  friends  came  in 
and  brought  pillows,  tea,  and  all  that  he  could  de- 
sire. The  people  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in 
caring  for  him. 

Dr.  Nelson  soon  after  came  into  the  town  and 
preached  against  infidelity,  and  seventy  souls  were 
converted  and  added  to  the  Church. 

Brother  Crews  says : I sometimes  walked  to  my 

appointments,  at  other  times  kind  friends  would  lend 
me  a horse.  And  when  the  river  was  open  in  the 
Spring  and  Summer  I could  go  to  Rock  Island  on 
the  steamboat,  at  least  when  I was  able  to  pay  for 
a berth.  I several  times  walked  twenty  miles  to 
Plattville,  to  Mineral  Point,  forty  miles,  to  Hamil- 
ton Grove,  and  once  to  Rock  Island.  I generally 
walked  to  Dubuque  to  hold  my  quarterly-meetings 
there.^^  Hooper  Crews  went  south  of  our  limits  in 
1835  and  did  not  return  again  until  1840,  when  he 
was  stationed  in  Chicago. 


GALENA. 


107 


The  districts  for  the  five  years  we  have  gone 
over  were  changeable.  The  half  decade  begins  in 
1830,  with  two  missions — Chicago  and  Galena — 
both  in  the  Sangamon  District,  Peter  Cartwright,  pre- 
siding elder.  In  1831  we  have,  Mission  District, 
Jesse  Walker,  superintendent.^^  All  the  appointments 
within  our  bounds,  and  two  out,  were  in  this  dis- 
trict, which  extended  from  Chicago  to  Rock  Island 
and  Peoria.  In  1832  there  is  for  the  first  time  a 
Chicago  District ^ J.  Walker  still  superintendent. 
It  extended  from  Chicago  to  Pekin  on  the  Illinois 
River,  below  Peoria,  and  embraced  Chicago,  Des 
Plaines,  Peoria,  and  Pekin  Missions.  Galena  this 
year  was  in  Quincy  District.  The  Chicago  District 
in  1833  received  John  Sinclair  as  presiding  elder,  and 
remained  the  same  as  the  year  before,  only  Galena 
was  included,  the  district  embracing  all  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Rock  River  Conference,  with  Peoria 
and  Pekin  Missions  besides.  In  1834  there  was  no 
change,  with  the  exception  of  the  fact  that  Galena 
Mission  District  appeared.  The  whole  membership 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference  in 
1835  was  five  hundred. 


108 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAF>TER  VIII. 

PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  1835  TO  1840. 

HE  work  we  have  undertaken  is  now  increasing 


in  magnitude  on  our  hands.  By  the  following 
appointments  the  reader  can  trace  the  whole  field 
for  five  years— years  of  exploration  and  forma- 
tion, years  of  toil  and  anxiety.  Those  in  italics 
are  new. 

1835.  — Galena  District,  Alfred  Brunson,  superin- 
tendent and  missionary  to  Indians  on  Upper  Miss- 
issippi; Galena,  Wellington  Weigley.  . . . 

Chicago  District,  Wilder  B.  Mack;  . . . Bureau 
Mission,  S.  R.  Beggs;  Ottawa  Mission,  8.  F.  Whit- 
ney; Des  Plaines,  D.  Blackwell,  Elihu  Springer ; 
Chicago  Station,  J.  T.  Mitchell ; Fox  River  Mission, 
William  Royal. 

1836.  — Chicago  District,  John  Clark,  P.  E.  Chi- 
cago, Otis  F.  Curtis;  . . . Sycamore,  Stephen  Arnold; 
Des  Plaines,  William  Royal ; Juliet,  S.  R.  Beggs. 

Galena  District,  A.  Brunson,  P.  E.  . . . Galena, 
W.  Weigley.  . . . 

Rock  Island  District,  Henry  Summers  ; Pickatolica, 
T.  W.  Pope  ; Apple  River,  M.  Shunk  ; Buffalo  Grove, 
James  McKean. 

Peoria  District,  John  Sinclair,  P.  E.  . . . Ot- 
tawa Mission,  Rufus  Lummery. 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


109 


1837.  — Chicago  District,  J.  Clark,  P.  E.  Des 
Plaines,  D.  Coulsoriy  Amos  Wiley ; Chicago,  Peter  R. 
Borein;  Dupage,  Washington  Wilcox,  R.  W.  Clark; 
Sycamore,  Stephen  Arnold,  William  Gaddis ; Soma- 
noG,  L.  8.  Walker;  Juliet,  Wm.  S.  Crissey ; Forked 
Creek,  S.  R.  Beggs ; Thornton,  Milton  Bourne  ; Ot- 
tawa, 8.  P.  Keyes,  supply. 

Galena  District,  Bartholomew  Weed,  P.  E.  Ga- 
lena, William  W.  Mitchell;  . . . Apple  River,  Colon 
D.  James ; Picatolica,  J.  McKean. 

Rock  Island  District,  H.  Summers,  P.  E.  Buffalo 
Grove,  Robert  Delap.  . . . 

Peoria  District,  J.  Sinclair,  P.  E.  Princeton, 
ZadoG  Hall. 

1838.  — Chicago  District,  J.  Clark,  P.  E.  Chi- 
cago, P.  R.  Borein ; Elgin,  H.  W.  Fink,  J.  M.  Snow; 
Dupage,  W.  Wilcox,  William  Gaddis;  Rockford, 
L.  S.  Walker,  Nathan  Jewett ; Somanoc,  E.  Springer; 
Ottawa,  J.  Sinclair,  Leven  Moreland;  Wilmington, 
Milton  Bourne  ; Juliet,  W.  S.  Crissey,  Asbury  Chen- 
owith;  Crete,  Jesse  Halsted. 

Galena  District,  B.  Weed,  P.  E.  Galena,  W.  W. 
Mitchell ; . . . Apple  River,  J.  L.  Bennett ; Free- 
port, J.  McKean,  John  Gilham.  . . . 

Rock  Island  District,  H.  Summers,  P.  E.  Buf- 
falo Grove,  Isaac  Pool,  Riley  E.  Hills.  . . . 

Peoria  District.  . . . Princeton,  R.  Lummery, 
George  Smith. 

1839.  — Galena  District,  B.  Weed,  P.  E.  Galena, 
W.  Wilcox ; Apple  River,  J.  L.  Bennett;  Freeport, 
Samuel  Pillsbury;  Buffalo  Grove,  G.  G.  Worthing- 
ton; Dixon,  Luke  Hitchcock,  supply.  . . . 


110 


MEMORIAL'S  OF  METHODISM. 


Chicago  District^  J.  Clark,  P.  E.  Chicago,  S.  H. 
Stocking;  Elgin,  John  JSfasoUy  J.  M.  Snow;  Crystal 
Lake,  L.  S.  Walker,  Ora  A.  Walker ; Eoscoe,  M. 
Bourne;  Rockford,  N.  Jewett;  Sycamore,  Josiah 
W.  Whipple^  L.  F.  Molthrop,  supply;  Bristol,  Aus- 
tin F.  Rogers;  Dupage,  William  Kimball,  William 
Gaddis. 

Ottawa  Dktriet,  J.  Sinclair,  P*  E.  Ottawa,  sup- 
plies ; Milford,  E,  Springer ; Wilmington,  William 
Vallette;  Crete,  supplied;  Juliet,  W.  Weigley;  In- 
dian Creek,  Wesley  Batchellor ; Princeton,  R.  Lum- 
mery. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  in  the  five  years  embraced 
in  the  period  which  we  now  undertake  to  review, 
twenty  neiv  circuits  were  constituted.  Some  of 
them,  however,  were  mere  substitutes  for  old 
charges,  so  that  there  were  only  twenty  separate 
appointments  in  1839. 

Galena  received  in  1835  Wellington  Weig- 
ley. This  brother  joined  the  Pittsburg  Conference 
in  1834,  and  was  appointed  to  Warren.  With  W. 
B.  Mack  and  others,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Illi- 
nois Conference  in  1835.  He  continued  to  fill 
appointments  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference  until  1842,  when,  on  account  of  some 
alleged  dishonesty  in  business  transactions,  he  was, 
by  a small  majority,  expelled  the  conference.  At 
the  organization  of  the  Rock  River  Conference  in 
1840  Weigley  was  one  of  its  most  prominent  and 
promising  young  men,  and  a very  eloquent  and 
popular  preacher.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law  ever  since  1842,  residing  first  at  Eliza- 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


Ill 


beth  and  then  at  Galena.  He  returned  to  the 
Church  in  Galena,  under  the  labors  of  J.  H.  Vin- 
cent in  1861.  He  published  a book  at  Joliet,  about 
the  size  of  a twenty-five-cent  Sunday-school  book, 
in  1840.  It  was  a compendium  of  Scripture  proofs, 
and  is  probably  the  first  work  of  any  kind  pub- 
lished by  a member  of  the  Rock  River  Conference, 
the  second  and  third  being  two  small  publications 
written  by  the  present  writer,  and  published  in  1855 
and  1857 — a small  Sunday-school  book  and  a work 
on  Benevolence. 

In  the  Galena  Advertiser  of  October  31,  1835, 
the  following  announcement  appears : The  first 

quarterly-meeting  for  the  Galena  Station  will  be 
held  in  the  Methodist  chapel  next  Saturday  and 
Sunday,  7th  and  8th  of  November.  Rev.  A.  Brun- 
son, superintendent  of  the  district  and  missionary 
to  the  Indians  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  will  be 
present  on  the  occasion.^^ 

The  year  closed  without  any  thing  occurring 
of  special  interest.  Forty  members  were  reported 
to  conference,  and  W.  Weigley  returned  to  the 
charge.  The  second  year  closed  up  with  only 
twenty-five  members.  The  fluctuation  was  owing, 
in  part  to  the  fact  that  the  inhabitants,  mostly 
miners,  were  unsettled. 

At  the  conference  of  1837,  which  met  at  Jack- 
sonville, William  W.  Mitchell  was  appointed  to 
the  charge.  He  was  a cousin  of  John  T.  Mitchell, 
and  had  been  received  into  the  conference  in  1834. 
Previous  to  going  to  Galena  he  had  been  appointed 
to  Lebanon,  Mt.  Vernon,  and  Alton,  three  of  the 


112 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


most  important  points  in  Southern  Illinois.  He  was 
quite  a young  man.  During  his  first  year  at  Galena 
there  was  a revival  in  the  Church,  commencing 
in  the  later  months  of  1837  and  continuing  until 
some  time  in  January,  when  it  was  abruptly  inter- 
fered with  by  a most  calamitous  occurrence.  At 
twelve  o’clock,  one  bitter  cold  night  in  January, 
1838,  the  city  was  aroused  by  the  cry  of  fire,  and 
the  little  band  of  Methodists  hurried  out  to  the 
scene  of  conflagration  to  see  their  little  church  re- 
duced to  ashes.  It  had  cost  many  a struggle  to 
erect  and  pay  for  it,  but  for  five  years  they  had 
worshiped  within  its  humble,  yet  comfortable  and 
sacred  walls.  There  they  had  joined  in  many  a 
triumphant  song  over  rejoicing  converts.  At  its 
altars  they  had  many  a time  bowed  to  receive  the 
emblems  of  the  broken  body  of  Jesus.  Some  of 
them  there  had  been  consecrated  to  God  in  baptism, 
and  from  its  altars  others  had  borne  away  their 
dead  after  engaging  in  sad  funeral  rites.  But  now 
they  were  without  a place  of  worship.  On  the  fol- 
lowing Sabbath  Brother  Mitchell  preached  to  his 
little  flock  in  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  an  upper 
room  on  Main  Street.  What  other  text  could  he 
choose  but  that  beautiful  and  fitting  one  found  in 
Isaiah  Ixiv,  11? — ^^Our  holy  and  beautiful  house, 
where  our  fathers  praised  thee,  is  burned  up  with 
fire;  and  all  our  pleasant  things  were  laid  waste.^^ 
A person  present  says  the  preacher  had  scarcely 
announced  his  text  when  he  burst  into  tears  and 
could  scarcely  go  on  with  his  sermon. 

Somewhat  strengthened  by  the  addition  of  twenty 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


113 


or  thirty  members  converted  during  the  revival, 
the  little  homeless  band  at  once  resolved  to  rebuild. 
The  Sunday-school  was  suspended  for  a time,  but 
the  meetings  were  kept  up  at  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce rooms,  and  at  a private  house  on  Franklin 
Street.  One  quarterly-meeting  is  announced  in  the 
Advertiser  to  be  held  in  the  basement  of  the  court- 
house. The  new  church  was  of  brick.  The  citizens 
were  liberal  with  contributions  and  service  to  aid 
in  rebuilding.  The  stones  for  the  foundation  were 
quarried  from  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  the  church, 
and  many  of  the  brick  were  brought  with  teams 
from  Plattville,  twenty  miles  away.  The  basement 
was  soon  opened  for  service,  and  the  usual  meetings 
were  resumed.  Eighty  members  were  reported  at 
the  close  of  the  year,  ten  of  whom  were  colored 
people. 

W.  W.  Mitchell  was  reappointed  to  the  charge 
in  1838,  but  the  burden  of  debt  and  the  weakness 
of  the  little  society  discouraged  him,  and  after  la- 
boring a small  portion  of  the  year  he  left  the  place, 
and  the  society  for  a time  was  without  a preacher. 
W.  Weigley  returned  from  Milwaukee,  whither  he 
had  been  sent  at  the  conference,  and  supplied  the 
pulpit.  He  spent  some  six  weeks  in  soliciting  aid 
for  the  church.  The  services  continued  to  be  held 
in  the  basement  of  the  new  building. 

In  July  of  1839  the  population  of  Galena  was 
about  four  thousand.  But  thirty-eight  members 
were  reported  at  the  close  of  the  year. 

In  1839  W.  Wilcox  was  sent  to  Galena.  The 

basement  was  still  used,  except  in  that  portion  of 

10 


114 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


the  year  when  the  weather  was  warm^  when  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  unfinished  upper  room.  In 
July,  1840,  a camp-meeting  was  held  about  eight 
miles  from  Galena,  at  which  much  good  was  done. 
The  preacher  lived  in  a back  room  of  the  basement. 
He  superintended  the  Sunday-school  most  of  the 
year,  and  confined  his  labors  chiefly  to  Galena. 
The  Sunday-school  met  at  eight  and  a half  in  the 
morning,  and  preaching  was  held  at  ten  and  a half ; 
class  after  preaching,  and  at  two  o’clock  P.  M. ; 
preaching  again  in  the  evening.  During  the  year 
a protracted  meeting,  continuing  six  weeks,  w^as 
held;  about  forty  united  with  the  Church,  so  that 
seventy-three  members  were  reported  at  conference. 
The  Church  was  four  thousand  dollars  in  debt  when 
Brother  Wilcox  went  there,  with  only  thirty-two 
members  to  bear  the  burdens.  The  official  board  at 
this  time  were  James  Johnson,  J.  Whitham,  J.  Mc- 
Kinley, and  Dudley  Simmons. 

We  left  John  T.  Mitchell  at  his  labors  in  Chi- 
cago in  the  Fall  of  1835;  he  was  continued  the 
second  year  and  returned  to  the  station,  which  this 
year,  by  request  of  the  Church,  was  stricken  from 
the  list  of  missions,  to  find  matters  in  a pleasant 
condition.  The  city  contained  in  November,  1835, 
a population  of  three  thousand  two  hundred  and 
sixty-five,  but  there  was  a powerful  tide  setting 
against  success;  this  was  the  tide  of  speculation. 
No  one  who  was  not  in  the  country  at  the  time  can 
conceive  the  force  of  this  influence,  which  pervaded 
all  ranks.  Riches  seemed  within  the  reach  of  every 
one,  and  the  poor  of  to-day  were  the  rich  of  to- 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


115 


morrow.  Town  lots  brought  a higher  price  than  in 
1844^  when  lots  were  purchased  on  the  corner  of 
Madison  and  Halsted  Streets  for  fifty  dollars.  The 
spirit  of  money  getting  became  the  ruling  spirit. 
In  the  fever  and  whirl  of  excitement  men  were 
borne  along  the  wave  by  the  pervading  mania 
towards  the  gulf  of  death.  But  the  crash  of  1837 
came  on,  and  in  some  measure  brought  men  to  their 
senses.  Many  became  active  Christians  and  re- 
mained faithful  to  the  end  who  were  in  danger  of 
being  made  slaves  to  avarice.  The  members  of 
the  Church  were  carried  into  the  whirling  current, 
and  religion  languished. 

At  the  sale  of  canal  lots^^  in  June,  1836,  a 
month  before  the  work  on  the  canal  was  commenced, 
under  an  arrangement  with  Robinson  Tripp,  the  lot 
one  hundred  and  twenty  by  one  hundred  and  thirty 
feet  in  size,  was  purchased  at  the  corner  of  Clark 
and  Washington  Streets,  on  which  the  Methodist 
Church  Bloch  stands.  The  sum  of  one  thousand 
one  hundred  dollars  was  paid  down  at  the  time, 
but  was  not  the  whole  cost.  The  embarrassments 
which  followed  the  crash  of  1837  put  an  end  to  all 
hopes  of  building  a church. 

But  a parsonage  was  erected  at  a cost  of  two 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  This  building,  which 
stood  south  of  the  Clark  Street  churches,  was  oc- 
cupied as  a parsonage  until  1858,  when  it  was  re- 
moved to  make  room  for  the  Block.^^  All  these 
measures  were  accomplished  chiefly  through  the  zeal 
and  efficiency  of  John  T.  Mitchell,  who  gave  to  the 
Church  a thorough  organization,  and  laid  firmly  the 


116 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


foundations  of  the  society.  The  year  began  with 
seventy  members  and  closed  with  eighty-eight. 

At  the  conference  of  1836  Otis  F.  Curtis  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Mitchell.  He  was  a quiet,  aimable,  and 
deeply  pious  man,  who  had  joined  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Conference  from  the  Congregational  Church, 
won  by  the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification,  but 
wanting  in  that  controlling  energy  demanded  by  the 
times.  In  a year  or  two  he  withdrew,  and  returned 
to  the  Congregationalists,  and  in  1868  was  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  Church  at  Dover,  Illinois. 

In  the  failure  in  business  matters  which  occurred 
this  Winter  few  of  the  members  escaped.  There 
were  some  who  so  grieved  at  the  loss  of  their  prop- 
erty they  fell  into  despondency  and  forgot  their 
God.  The  integrity  of  others  was  not  proof  against 
the  sore  trials,  and  many  fell.  The  presiding  elder 
of  the  district,  W.  B.  Mack,  in  the  Summer  of  1836, 
fell  into  sin,  and  the  scandalous  conduct  of  some  of 
the  members  of  the  Church  completely  discouraged 
the  remaining  few.  It  seemed  at  one  time  as  though 
the  Church  would  be  scattered  in  confusion.  There 
has  never  been  a time,^^  says  Grant  Goodrich,  one 
of  Clark  Street’s  most  noble  men,  ^Gn  the  history 
of  Methodism  in  Chicago  when  false  brethren  and 
wicked  men  seemed  so  near  the  accomplishment  of 
our  destruction  as  at  this  period.  We  felt  we  were 
the  scoff  and  scorn  of  the  wicked  and  the  reproach 
of  the  good.”  But  among  the  wavering  there  were 
the  true  and  faithful.  O,  how  strong  were  the  bonds 
of  Christian  love  that  drew  the  faithful  of  the  little 
band  together ! The  unity  of  heart,  the  oneness 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK 


117 


of  purpose  in  which  they  lived^  with  which  they 
prayed,  was  as  the  salt  to  save  the  Church/^  Not- 
withstanding their  trials  ninety  members  were  re- 
ported at  the  close  of  the  year. 

We  now  arrive  at  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  that  has  been  shining  with  gilt  from  that 
day  till  now.  In  1837,  in  answer  to  the  fervent 
prayers  of  the  Church  for  a Joshua  to  lead  them  out 
of  the  wilderness,  God  sent  them — this  is  Grant 
Goodrich^s  account  of  it — Petep  Ruble  Bobein, 
whose  name  in  old  Clark  Street  Church  is  as  oint- 
ment poured  forth  until  this  day. 

Peter  Borein  was  the  son  of  Greenbury  and  Mary 
(Ruble)  Borein,  or  Boring,  as  the  parents  spelled 
their  name,  and  was  born  among  the  mountains  of 
East  Tennessee,  on  Sinking  Creek,  in  Washington 
County,  November  17,  1809.  His  father  was  a 
poor  farmer,  illiterate  and  wicked,  of  English  de- 
scent; his  mother  was  of  German  origin. 

The  occasion  of  his  conversion  is  rather  inter- 
esting. In  the  year  1828  there  lived  in  Tennessee 
a man  named  Harris.  The  Methodists  had  pene- 
trated into  that  region,  and  had  begun  to  fill  the 
land  with  their  fame.  Several  camp-meetings  were 
held,  and  wild  rumors  were  afloat  that  the  Metho- 
dists threw  a spell  over  the  worst  of  men,  and 
the  preachers  held  them  until  they  ^^got  religion.^^ 
Out  of  curiosity  Mr.  Harris  went  to  witness  the 
wonderful  works.  The  mighty  ^^spelP^  of  the  Spirit 
was  thrown  over  his  heart,  and  he  was  glad  to  take 
his  place  among  the  seekers.  He  was  soundly  con- 
verted, The  keen -eyed  circuit  preacher  saw  in  the 


118 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


new  convert  a leader  for  the  people^  and  before  the 
camp-meeting  was  over  he  was  pressed  to  take 
charge  of  a class.  He  accepted  the  work,  and  took 
charge  of  a little  band  nine  miles  from  his  home. 

One  Sabbath  afternoon,  as  he  was  riding  home 
from  his  class-meeting,  he  saw  a group  of  youngsters 
standing  by  a little  store  at  the  corners.  Two  of 
Mr.  Harrises  nephews  were  in  the  crowd.  After 
passing,  his  soul  became  so  burdened  for  the  boys, 
he  turned  back  to  exhort  them.  He  agreed  if  they 
would  promise  to  attend  the  next  camp-meeting 
that  he  would  furnish  a conveyance,  and  see  that 
they  were  provided  for  during  the  meeting. 

His  two  nephews  and  eleven  others  promised  to 
go,  and  when  the  meeting  occurred  the  thirteen  at- 
tended according  to  promise,  and  were  all  converted. 
One  of  these  nephews  was  Peter  Borein.  The 
camp-meeting  occurred  in  August,  1828,  on  Brush 
Creek.  When  the  boys  went  home  they  were  sub- 
jected to  severe  persecution.  William  McBride  re- 
ceived a severe  flogging.  Young  Peter  was  sum- 
moned into  the  presence  of  his  father  and  informed 
that  he  must  either  give  up  his  Church  or  his  home. 
^^And,^^  said  the  father,  will  give  you*  until  to- 
morrow to  decide.^^  You  need  not  wait  until  to- 
morrow,^^  said  Peter,  I can  tell  you  what  I will 
do  to-night;  I will  leave  my  home.^^  And  picking 
up  a little  bundle  containing  all  his  earthly  posses- 
sions, he  left  his  father’s  house,  and  went  to  reside 
with  his  uncle  Harris.  He  became  a great  worker 
in  the  mountain  Church.  For  years  after  there 
were  many  who  remembered  his  first  prayer.  It 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


119 


ran  thus : Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  soul ; been 

to  camp-meeting,  got  religion,  been  happy  ever 
since ; Lord,  have  mercy  on  Billy  McBride^s  daddy. 
Amen.^^ 

Eighteen  months  after  Peter  Borein^s  conversion 
Mr.  Harris  moved  his  family  into  Southern  Illinois, 
taking  Peter  with  him.  He  settled  near  Jackson- 
ville, in  Morgan  County.  Young  Peter  commenced 
laboring  in  a brick-yard,  which  employ  he  con- 
tinued after  he  entered  college,  to  gain  means  to  pay 
his  way.  Encouraged  and  assisted  by  friends  he 
entered  Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville,  in  1830, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  While  here,  such 
was  his  piety  and  the  indications  of  genius  he  ex- 
hibited, and  the  rapidity  with  which  he  advanced 
in  his  studies,  he  won  the  esteem  and  attention  of 
his  teachers  and  fellow  students.  He  acquired  a 
habit  of  study  which  never  left  him.  The  Fall  be- 
fore his  death  he  commenced  the  study  of  Hebrew, 
and  in  six  weeks  he  could  read  very  well  with  the 
aid  of  a lexicon. 

On  leaving  school  he  was  immediately  licensed 
to  preach,  and  was  received  into  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference in  1832,  and  was  appointed  the  first  year  to 
Canton  Circuit,  with  Peter  Cartwright  as  his  pre- 
siding elder.  In  1833  he  went  to  Rushville.  In 
1834  he  was  sent  to  Henderson  Mission;  in  1835 
to  Quincy,  to  which  place  he  returned  in  1836.  In 
December  of  this  year  he  married  Miss  Lucinda 
Burns.  At  Quincy  he  was  eminently  useful,  and 
distinguished  himself  as  an  able  and  eloquent  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel.  But  becoming  mingled  with 


120 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


anti-slavery  movements  in  his  last  year  he  became 
with  some  very  unpopular. 

At  the  conference  at  Rushville,  in  1836,  Brother 
Borein  made  a memorable  missionary  speech.  So 
great  was  the  enthusiasm  created  the  preachers 
emptied  their  pockets  so  completely  with  contribu- 
tions many  of  them  had  to  borrow  money  to  return 
home.  In  his  conference  class  his  classmate,  Zadoc 
Hall,  says : He  always  stood  number  one.^^  His 

oratory  w^as  often  of  the  word  painting  style.  At 
one  time  he  was  picturing  the  Avavering  soul.  Long 
he  held  the  soul  swaying  between  the  Church  and 
the  world.  Every  inducement  in  heaven,  on  earth, 
and  in  hell  was  used  to  induce  the  wavering  one  to 
cleave  to  Christ.  The  recording  angel  stood  in 
heaven  with  deep  suspense,  weeping — if  e ^er  angels 
weep — over  the  sad  duty  he  must  erelong  perform. 
At  last  the  soul  became  fully  immersed  in  the  world. 
He  was  given  up  of  heaven,  and  the  recording 
angel  with  one  sweep  of  the  pen  blotted  his  name 
from  the  book  of  life. 

An  eminent  lawyer,  who  had  once  listened  to 
Brother  Borein,  undertook  in  company  to  tell  some- 
thing of  his  power,  Avhen  the  tide  of  tender  memo- 
ries rushed  upon  him  in  such  force  the  tears  rolled 
down  his  cheeks,  and  his  emotions  choked  his  voice. 

Three  young  bloods  stood  leaning  against  a tree 
at  a camp-meeting,  listening  to  Borein^s  preaching. 
One  after  another  began  wiping  his  eyes,  when  one 
of  them  turned  to  the  others  and  said,  What  the 
are  you  crying  about 

During;  the  last  Winter  of  his  life  more  than 

O 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


121 


three  hundred  were  converted  in  Chicago,  and  so 
great  was  the  respect  for  him,  whenever  he  passed 
along  the  street  clamor  would  cease,  even  in  the 
drinking  saloons.  His  name  was  on  every  tongue, 
and  if  an  auctioneer  were  selling  a handkerchief  he 
would  perhaps  remark,  Come,  you  will  want  this 
if  you  go  to  hear  Borein  preach.^^ 

But  his  Master  called  him  away  ere  he  became 
an  idol.  He  had  finished  his  course,  his  crown  was 
ready.  Who  that  heard  the  last  sermon  which  he 
preached, inquires  Grant  Goodrich,  ^^can  ever  for- 
get it,  whether  he  shall  reign  with  him  in  heaven 
or  wail  with  the  lost?^^  It  was  of  the  vision  of  the 
dying  Stephen,  ^^Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit,^^ 
being  the  text.  As  he  spoke  of  the  beatific  sight 
which  burst  upon  the  raptured  vision  of  the  dying 
martyr  he  seemed  to  catch  a glimpse  of  the  glories 
whieh  Stephen  saw.  There  seemed  a supernatural 
radiance  glowing  upoii  his  countenance  and  a pro- 
phetic fire  burning  upon  his  lips.  God,^^  he  said, 
had  not  seen  fit  fully  to  reveal  to  us  the  loeality 
or  the  form  of  heaven,  but  every  one,  he  presumed, 
had  some  mental  conception  of  it  and  its  inhabit- 
ants. He  believed  in  the  next  world,  as  in  this, 
there  were  degrees  in  Christian  attainment,  and  that 
in  that  better  land  some  would  oceupy  positions 
higher  than  others.  Sometimes  his  imagination  had 
conceived  heaven  as  a vast  amphitheater,  with  seats 
rising  in  one  grand  circle,  tier  above  tier,  up  to  the 
very  throne  itself,  and  from  the  lowest  seats  the 
white-robed  ones  strike  the  exultant  song  of  re- 
demption. It  is  caught  up  from  rank  to  rank, 


122 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


growing  louder  and  sweeter  as  it  rises.  In  unison 
the  angel  choirs  strike  their  lyres,  and  from  every 
golden  harp-string  of  saint  and  angel,  of  cherubim 
and  seraphim,  is  poured  the  jubilant  rapture  of 
adoring  song,  and  heaven  becomes  filled  with  an 
atmosphere  of  richest  melody.^^  Who  shall  dare 
to  say  that  God  in  that  hour,^^  asks  Goodrich,  ^^did 
not  permit  his  soul  to  catch  some  dying  strains  of 
that  heavenly  music  in  which  he  was  so  soon  to 
join?^^  None  knew  him  but  to  love  him.  He 
was  a nearer  impersonation  of  Christ  than  I ever 
expect  to  see  again  on  earth,^^  says  Grant  Goodrich. 

In  his  words  and  looks  there  was  a holy  charm,  a 
something  that  awed  and  yet  captivated  you.  As 
an  effective  preacher  I have  never  heard  his  equal. 
I have  heard  men  of  more  varied  learning,  of  more 
brilliancy  and  depth  of  thought,  and  more  polished 
diction,  but  none  of  that  moving,  winning  power, 
that  seized  the  heart,  and  wrought  conviction,  and 
made  his  hearers  willing  captives.  There  was  a 
persuasive  earnestness,  a yearning  tenderness,  that 
made  his  hearers  feel  that  his  heart  would  break 
under  the  awful  sense  of  their  danger,  if  they  re- 
fused to  come  to  Christ.  There  was  a silvery  music 
in  his  voice,  a melting  cadence  in  his  tones,  . . . 
that  fathomed  the  4^epest  well-springs  of  the  heart 
and  turned  the  foifntains  of  its  affections  toward  a 
crucified  Savior.’^  He  had  great  intellectual  pow- 
ers, blended  with  beauty  of  feature  and  of  expres- 
sion. His  eyes  were  large,  blue,  lustrous. 

Some  of  Chicago's  most  permanent  and  faithful 
members  were  converted  at  Peter  Borein’s  meetings 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK, 


123 


in  1839.  Among  them  were  John  B.  Mitchell, 
J.  K.  Bottsford,  and  Mrs.  Garrett.  In  some  sense 
the  illiterate  boy  of  East  Tennessee  was  the  founder 
of  Garrett  Biblical  Institute.  John  Dempster,  con- 
verted at  a camp-meeting  in  1812;  Peter  Borein, 
converted  at  a camp-meeting  in  East  Tennessee,  in 
1828 ; Mrs.  Garrett,  converted  under  the  preaching 
of  Borein  in  1839, — these  are  the  influences  that 
converged  at  Evanston  in  1854.  The  conversion 
of  a child  may  set  influences  at  work  that  shall  send 
ripples  over  the  world,  and  swell  to  fuller  tones  the 
anthems  of  heaven. 

We  have  given  a notice  of  Borein’s  last  sermon. 
The  meeting  began  that  evening  at  six  o^clock,  and 
such  was  the  interest  it  lasted  till  late  into  the  night. 
The  preacher  went  home  too  happy  to  sleep.  He 
went  out  to  make  a few  calls  the  next  day,  and  on 
returning  complained  of  being  unwell,  and  went 
into  his  chamber,  never  to  go  out  to  earthly  labor 
again.  His  disease  was  typhoid  fever,  and  with 
much  suffering  he  lay  for  seventeen  days.  During 
the  time  there  was  sickness  in  his  family,  and  one 
child  passed  into  life  ere  its  father.  When  asked 
if  he  had  any  dread  of  death.  Brother  Borein  said : 
O no : I feel  that  my  preparation  for  that  was 
made  long  ago.^^  He  died  at  Chicago,  August  15, 
1839,  and  after  a funeral  service  in  which  all 
Churches  united,  and  a sermon  by  Rev.  I.  T.  Hin- 
ton, the  Baptist  preacher,  his  remains  were  buried 
in  the  cemetery  north  of  Chicago.  When  he  lay 
dying,  messages  went  out  every  hour  or  so  over  the 
city  concerning  his  state,  and  inquiries  concerning 


124 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


him  were  on  every  lip.  On  the  day  of  his  funeral 
the  church  was  draped  in  black,  and  the  stores  of 
the  city  were  closed.  He  was  but  twenty-nine  at 
his  death. 

Peter  Borein  went  to  his  work  in  Chicago,  in 
1837,  in  the  fullness  of  the  Gospel,  burdened  with 
an  anxious  desire  for  success,  and  moved  by  the  love 
of  Christ  for  dying  men.  He  gathered  the  flock 
around  him,  and  poured  forth  words  of  comfort, 
sweet  and  rapturous  as  the  music  of  rippling  wat- 
ers to  the  thirsty  traveler  on  the  arid  desert.  He 
breathed  into  them  something  of  his  own  mighty 
faith  and  burning  zeal,  and,  at  the  feet  of  the  Re- 
deemer, with  them  cried  for  help,  until  sunlight 
chased  away  the  darkness,  and  salvation  was  poured 
upon  the  people.^^ 

During  the  Winter  of  1838  quite  a number  were 
converted ; but,  compared  with  the  following  year, 
the  work  was  limited.  The  preacher  reported 
eighty-two  members  at  the  conference  and  returned 
to  the  charge.  Owing  to  the  poverty  of  the  Church 
a missionary  appropriation  was  again  made,  to  aid 
in  supporting  the  pastor.  During  the  Summer  of 
1838  the  little  church  on  the  North  Side  was 
moved  across  the  river  on  scows,  and  set  on  the  lot 
famous  as  old  Clark  Street,^^  and  enlarged  to 
double  its  size.  In  December  a revival  commenced, 
deep,  widespread,  and  powerful.  Night  after  night 
Peter  Borein  threw  forth  the  arrows  of  divine  truth, 
all  flaming  with  love,  and  day  after  day  he  followed 
sinners  to  their  homes  and  shops,  even  into  the 
haunts  of  dissipation,  urging  them  to  be  reconciled 


FEOGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


125 


to  God.  The  church  was  crowded  all  through  to 
its  utmost  capacity,  and  every  night  the  altar  was 
thronged  with  penitent  souls.  Religion  was  the  ab- 
sorbing theme  in  private  and  in  public  places.  The 
concerns  of  the  soul  swallowed  up  every  other 
thought.  There  were  more  than  three  hundred  con- 
versions, which  was  about  one-tenth  of  the  whole 
population.  The  meetings  continued  from  New- 
year^s  until  April.  Almost  every  revivalist  has  a 
peculiar  way  of  dissecting  souls,  that  brings  the 
charge  upon  them  of  exposing  people  intentionally. 
Mr.  Borein  had  this  power  more  than  most  men. 
One  case  is  in  point.  John  B.  Mitchell,  who  after- 
wards became  an  efficient  member  and  a worthy 
class-leader,  was  often  employed  through  the  coun- 
try to  fiddle  at  dances.  His  wife  was  a member  of 
the  Methodist  Church;  but  the  husband  refused  to 
attend  the  meetings,  and  was  called  away  to  the 
country  several  times  during  the  meetings,  to  play 
at  dances.  At  length  one  evening  he  was  induced 
through  curiosity  to  go  up  to  the  church.  Brother 
Borein  hardly  knew  there  was  such  a person,  but, 
as  Mitchell  thought,  he  exposed  him  before  the 
whole  congregation.  He  went  home  enraged  at  his 
wife  for  telling  the  preacher  about  him.  But  there 
was  no  truth  in  the  charge  whatever.  After  a few 
nights  Mr.  Mitchell  returned  to  the  meeting,  again 
to  be  dissected,  the  preacher  telling  the  crowd  all 
about  him.  He  was  angry,  confused,  puzzled,  but 
under  eonviction.  He  still  supposed  his  wife  had 
been  telling  Mr.  Borein  all  about  him.  The  matter 
ended  by  Mr.  Mitchell  being  happily  converted. 


126 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Too  much,  acting  in  the  pulpit  is  a serious  fault ; 
but  now  and  then,  when  the  wave  of  religious  feel- 
ing is  in  tune  for  something  of  the  kind,  a little  of 
the  dramatic  is  in  place.  Mr.  Borein  was  a born 
dramatist;  but  he  held  this  power  in  reasonable 
check.  Frequently,  however,  when  they  had  had  a 
glorious  time,  he  would  introduce  a favorite  song 
to  close  up  with.  There  was  a negro,  Pete  by 
name,  who,  being  tuned  by  divine  love,  could  sing 
to  charm  a congregation.  Borein  could  sing  also. 
Standing  in  the  altar,  the  preacher  would  sing  in 
rich,  melodious  tones : 

“ What  ship  is  this  that ’s  passing  by? 

O glory,  hallelujah!” 

And  Pete  would  respond  in  a voice  still  more  me- 
lodious : 

“ Why,  it ’s  the  old  ship  Zion. 

Hallelujah  1” 

Borein  would  take  up  the  question : 

“ Is  your  ship  well  built,  are  her  timbers  all  sound? 

O glory,  hallelujah !” 

And  Pete  would  answer: 

“ Why,  she ’s  built  of  Gospel  timber, 

Hallelujah !” 

And  so  on  to  the  close  of  Old  Ship  Zion.^^ 

Any  one  that  has  never  listened  to  any  thing  of 
the  kind  can  not  imagine  how  such  strains  would 
melt  into  the  very  souls  of  the  throng.  The  words 
are  trivial,  but  the  tune  is  one  of  the  most  melo- 
dious. We  never  heard  Mr.  Borein  sing,  but  have 
been  charmed  by  the  rich  voice  of  ^^Pete.”  He 
wandered  away  to  the  wicked  world ; but  once 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 


127 


again  he  had  a religious  spell  upon  him,  and  in 
1845  we  heard  him,  the  last  time  probably  he  ever 
did  such  a thing,  pour  out  a song  rich  with  negro 
melody,  in  old  Clark  Street  Church. 

During  the  meeting,  as  we  have  seen  elsewhere, 
Mr.  Augustus  Garrett  and  Eliza  Garrett,  his  wife, 
were  converted.  Mr.  Garrett  did  not  continue  faith- 
ful ; but  Mrs.  Garrett  was  a pious,  consistent  mem- 
ber of  Clark  Street  Church  until  her  death  in  1855. 
Her  munificent  gift  is  the  foundation  of  the  Garrett 
Biblical  Institute.  One  man  may  accomplish  an  un- 
important work ; one  soul  may  be  converted  of  no 
more  consequence  than  the  conversion  of  any  other 
soul  of  a thousand,  and  these  things  for  which  a 
laborer  may  take  little  credit  will  set  in  motion 
events  that  sway  the  destinies  of  thousands.  Mrs. 
Garrett  has  been  dead  for  years,  and  the  Institute 
is  making  itself  felt  through  the  instrumentality  of 
its  sons  in  distant  portions  of  the  globe. 

As  Brother  Borein  died  during  the  Summer  of 
1839,  another  was  under  the  necessity  of  reporting 
his  work  at  conference.  The  work  of  sifting  had 
gone  on  until  but  one  hundred  and  seventy  mem- 
bers were  reported. 

It  was  no  easy  task  to  follow  Peter  Borein. 
This  task  fell  upon  Sophronius  H.  Stocking.  Peace 
prevailed,  and  there  were  quite  a number  of  con- 
versions, and  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  were 
left  to  begin  the  new  conference  year,  commencing 
in  1840.  Mr.  Stocking  was  a popular  more  than  a 
revival  preacher,  and  a man  of  kind  and  winning 
manners.  He  was  one  of  the  best  preachers  in  our 


128 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


bounds  in  that  day.  He  was  born  in  Glastonbury, 
Connecticut,  February  17,  1798,  and  was  blessed 
with  early  religious  culture  and  associations.  His 
father  and  four  brothers  were  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  He  became  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  when  nine  years  of  age,  and  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1818,  when  but  twenty  years 
of  age.  He  joined  the  old  Genesee  Conference  in 
1822.  By  division  he  fell  into  the  Oneida  in  1828, 
where  he  remained  until  1839,  when  he  located, 
and  settled  at  Bonus  Prairie,  Illinois.  He  was  at 
once  readmitted  to  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  sta- 
tioned at  Chicago.  In  1840  he  went  to  Rockford. 
From  1841  to  1847  he  was  presiding  elder.  In 
1847  he  took  a superannuated  relation,  and  from 
that  time  until  his  death,  excepting  five  years,  when 
he  resumed  work  (1850  to  1855),  he  continued  in 
this  relation.  Between  1855  and  1860  he  settled  in 
a quiet  home  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin.  In  the  Winter 
of  1879,  after  an  illness  of  thirteen  weeks,  feeble 
with  age  yet  triumphant  in  faith,  he,  with  joyful 
assurance,  passed  away  from  life.  His  remains 
were  deposited  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  at  Beloit. 
Here  was  another  man  of  pure  life,  quiet  but  de- 
termined disposition,  moved  by  a gentle  spirit,  who 
passed  through  life  unmarred  and  always  reliable. 

Chicago  became  a city  in  1837,  and  was  in  1840 
a growing  and  permanent  place.  From  the  days 
of  Peter  Borein  Methodism  began  to  be  a power, 
and  the  year  1840  commenced  with  great  prospects 
of  success,  under  Hooper  Crews  as  pastor.  He  had 
been  absent  from  our  bounds  five  years,  doing  noble 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK, 


129 


work  in  other  parts.  He  came  now  to  remain. 
From  that  time  till  his  death  he  never  had  work 
outside  the  conference  bounds,  except  the  one  year 
(1862)  he  went  as  chaplain  of  the  One-hundredth 
Illinois  down  into  Tennessee. 

This  year  at  Chicago  was  one  of  greatest  success. 
Many  persons  were  brought  into  the  Church  who 
were  in  after  years  among  the  most  efficient  of 
Clark  Street  workers.  So  greatly  did  Mr.  Crews 
endear  himself  to  the  people  he  ever  after  became 
a favorite  with  Chicago  Methodists.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  they  had  just  planned,  at  Clark  Street, 
a measure  for  making  him  a sort  of  assistant  pastor, 
making  a sinecure  place  for  his  rest  in  his  old  days. 
It  was  not  to  be  carried  out,  however ; for  Hooper 
Crews  was  permitted  to  cease  at  once  to  work  and 
live'^  in  1880. 


130 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHARTER  IX. 

PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM  FROM  1835  TO  1840. 
CONTINUED. 

David  BLACKWELL  was  returned  to  Des 
Plaines  Circuit  in  1835,  with  Elihu  Springer 
as  junior  preacher.  Mr.  BlackwelPs  health  failed, 
so  that  he  continued  but  a small  portion  of  the 
year.  Mr.  Springer  was  left  alone ; but  he  had  a 
prosperous  year,  and  stood  high  with  the  people. 
The  first  quarterly- meeting  was  held  December  19, 
1835,  at  James  WalkePs,  at  WalkePs  Grove;  the 
second  at  Juliet,  February  20,  1836;  the  third  at 
Brother  Watkins’s,  on  Forked  Creek;  the  fourth  at 
Brother  Ballard’s,  at  the  head  of  Big  Woods,  near 
Batavia.  At  this  last  quarterly -meeting  Amos 
Wiley  came  up  with  a recommend  from  Juliet  class 
for  license  to  preach.  He  was  licensed,  and  recom- 
mended to  conference. 

The  numbers  reported  were  two  hundred  and 
fifty -three.  In  1836  William  Royal  succeeded 
Brother  Springer  on  the  northern  half  of  the  circuit ; 
but  his  health  failed,  and  he  left  the  charge  early  in 
the  Fall,  and  Washington  Wilcox  took  his  place. 
The  circuit  had  been  divided,  so  that  a line  drawn 
from  Chicago  to  Naperville  and  Aurora  was  the 
southern  line.  The  circuit  extended  to  the  Wis- 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM. 


131 


consia  line,  taking  all  the  country  from  Fox  River 
to  Lake  Michigan.  In  the  Fall  of  1836  the  Ham- 
mers settled  at  Hoosier  Grove,  four  miles  east  of 
Elgin.  During  the  Summer  of  1836  a local  preacher 
by  the  name  of  Essex,  employed  by  the  elder,  ex- 
plored the  country,  and  established  most  of  the  ap- 
pointments which  made  up  Des  Plaines  Circuit  after 
the  conference  of  1836,  embracing  Elgin  and  the 
surrounding  country.  Washington  Wilcox  had  been 
a member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Conference;  but, 
having  located  to  come  West,  he  was  employed  by 
the  elder  to  take  charge  of  the  new  circuit.  He 
commenced  his  work  in  December,  1836,  and  found 
a few  classes  that  William  Royal  had  formed  during 
the  past  Summer. 

Mr.  Wilcox  set  out  on  the  first  round  on  his  cir- 
cuit, and,  as  a specimen  of  the  manner  of  travel  and 
the  stormy  days  endured  by  all  the  early  preachers, 
we  give  his  whole  account  of  it : 

severe  snow-storm  overtook  me  at  Father 
Hamilton’s  [near  Elgin],  on  Monday  night,  which 
continued  all  the  next  day.  Tuesday  morning  Har- 
vey Hamilton  piloted  me  through  to  Hammer’s 
Grove,  where  I had  an  appointment  for  eleven 
o’clock.  After  preaching,  I inquired  the  way  to 
my  night  appointment  at  Denny’s  Ferry,  and  was 
told  that  it  was  eight  miles,  but  that  I could  not 
find  it  in  such  a storm.  Not  having  admitted  that 
^ can’t’  had  a place  in  language,  I wished  to  know 
why  I could  not  find  the  place,  and  was  informed 
that  I had  to  go  four  miles  across  the  prairie,  and 
then  four  miles  through  the  barrens,  without  any 


132 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


track  or  marks  to  direct  me,  and,  although  they 
knew  the  place  well,  they  could  not  find  it  that  day. 
I reluctantly  concluded  that  if  those  who  knew 
where  the  place  was  could  not  find  it,  probably  I 
could  not. 

The  next  morning  the  snow  was  thirteen  inches 
deep.  I then  inquired  for  Plumb  Grove,  the  place 
of  my  next  appointment.  Brother  Hammer,  being 
a new  settler,  did  not  know  where  the  grove  was, 
but  said  that  across  the  prairie  four  miles  Mr.  Miller, 
one  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  the  country,  lived, 
and  he  could  tell  all  about  the  groves.  I mounted 
my  pony  and  plodded  through  the  snow  until  I 
reached  the  grove,  but  the  brother  had  forgotten  to 
tell  me  that  Miller  lived  in  the  center,  and  that 
there  was  neither  track  nor  mark  to  tell  me  where 
to  look  for  the  place.  Being  a Yankee  I had  to 
fall  back  on  the  privilege  of  guessing,  so  I guessed 
that  like  every  body  I had  found  he  lived  some- 
where on  the  side  of  the  grove.  I started  on  in 
an  easterly  direction,  and  soon  discovered  the  body 
of  a house  among  some  trees,  standing  a little  out 
from  the  main  grove,  and  made  my  way  for  the 
same.  After  crossing  a small  lake,  which  I mistook 
for  a meadow,  I reached  the  house  and  found  it 
without  windows  and  uninhabited.  I started  on, 
and  after  riding  two  miles  came  to  a place  where 
some  one  lived.  I made  inquiry"  for  Plumb  Grove 
and  received  for  answer  that  they  were  strangers, 
having  just  arrived  in  the  country,  and  did  not 
know  the  names  of  the  groves. 

^^By  this  time  I concluded  it  was  a wild-goose 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM. 


133 


chase  to  look  for  any  one  who  knew  where  Plumb 
Grove  was  situated.  What  was  I to  do  ? I knew 
enough  of  the  location  to  know  that  it  must  lie 
further  east,  and  as  the  clouds  had  broken  so  that 
I could  see  the  sun  I laid  my  course  as  near  east 
as  I could.  The  country  was  all  a vast  sea  of  snow, 
except  in  the  direction  which  I called  east,  where 
I could  see  the  top  of  some  trees,  which  proved  to 
be  a small  grove.  When  I reached  this  landmark 
and  wound  around  it  awhile  I found  |iome  cattle 
feeding  at  a stack.  I looked  until  I found  a path 
leading  into  the  midst  of  the  grove.  This  I fol- 
lowed until  I found  a log  hut  containing  a man,  of 
whom  I learned  that  Plumb  Grove  was  in  sight 
only  three  miles  distant.  I reached  the  grove  and 
found  the  congregation  waiting,  as  it  was  a little 
past  the  hour  of  preaching.  After  meeting  I rode 
to  Elk  Grove,  and  preached  at  night.  The  next 
day  I preached  at  Dunkley’s  Grove  and  at  Walker’s 
Bridge.  The  next  day  there  was  another  heavy 
snow  storm,  making  the  snow  about  two  feet  deep. 
That  day  I had  to  ride  only  three  miles  to  the 
steam  mill,  but  the  next  I had  to  be  at  the 
mouth  of  Salt  Creek  at  eleven  o’clock,  then  cross 
the  prairie  and  barrens  to  Flagg  Creek,  where  there 
was  no  track,  lane,  or  other  sign  to  guide  me. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday  and  brought  me 
around  to  Brother  Clifford’s,  where  I had  left  my 
wife.  The  friends  had  tried  to  comfort  her  with 
the  assurance  that  I would  not  attempt  to  travel; 
that  the^  people  would  not  let  me  start,  as  no  one 
pretended  to  travel  at  such  times.  But  she  con- 


134 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


eluded  they  did  not  know  the  man  they  were  talk- 
ing about.  On  Monday  I had  to  go  forward  to 
Charles  Gary’s,  near  Turner  Junction,  where^I  had 
arranged  for  my  wife  to  have  a home.  As  I had 
no  team  I made  arrangements  to  have  her  brought 
over  the  next  day.  About  sunset  on  Monday  it 
began  to  rain,  and  continued  raining  twenty-four 
hours  until  the  snow  was  so  saturated  with  water  it 
was  ready  to  run  olf  in  a body,  when  it  suddenly 
turned  to  %hard  freeze,  so  that  it  froze  over  springs 
that  were  never  known  to  be  frozen  before.  This 
covered  the  country  with  ice,  and  made  splendid 
traveling  for  the  remainder  of  the  Winter.  But 
when  the  ice  began  to  break  up  we  had  a time  that 
tried  man  and  beast. 

^^On  the  11th  of  March  I left  Charles  Gary’s  to 
go  up  the  west  side  of  the  creek.  At  the  same 
time  Mr.  Amasa  Gary,  father  of  Charles  Gary, 
and  George  Gary,  of  the  Black  River  Conference, 
left  to  go  up  on  the  other  side  to  reach  his  home. 
The  fog  was  so  dense  a man  could  see  but  a little 
distance.  Mr.  Gary  lost  his  way,  and  perished 
within  half  a mile  of  his  own  house.  He  lay  eight 
or  nine  days  before  he  was  found.  I attended  his 
funeral  March  17,  1837,  on  Friday,  a warm  and 
thawing  day.  After  this  it  turned  very  cold  again. 
On  Saturday,  March  25th,  I started  for  Chicago  to 
spend  the  Sabbath.  I passed  along  on  the  ridge 
until  I reached  Salt  Creek.  This  stream  had  a high 
bank  on  the  west  side.  There  was  a bridge  across 
on  a level  with  the  bank,  and  then  a wing  at  a 
steep  inclination  to  go  down  to  a low  flat  on  the 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM, 


135 


other  side.  I rode  across  the  main  bridge,  but  when 
my  horse  stepped  off  he  sank  down  midside  into  the 
water.  We  now  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  wade 
ashore.  We  passed  on  to  the  big  slough,  where  the 
water  was  about  a hundred  yards  across  and  three 
feet  deep.  The  thaw  the  day  before  had  loosened 
the  ice  from  the  bottom.  My  horse  plunged  in, 
breaking  the  ice;  when  tired  of  this  he  broke  for 
the  shore.  I spurred  in  again  and  went  until  I was 
glad  to  back  out.  Go  back,  I could  not,  for  it  was 
impossible  to  get  on  to  the  Salt  Creek  Bridge,  and 
I did  not  know  whether  I could  get  out  north  or 
south,  as  I had  never  traveled  in  either  direction. 
I rode  up  stream  a little  way  and  put  out  to  sea 
again,  when  happily  I found  ice  strong  enough  to 
bear  the  horse.  I alighted  and  led  forward,  one 
foot  of  the  horse  frequently  breaking  through  the 
rotten  ice.  In  this  way  we  went  within  a few  yards 
of  the  shore,  and  came  to  open  water.  I then  began 
to  contrive  how  to  get  my  horse  down  into  the 
water  and  get  on  his  back,  when  the  ice  gave  way 
and  let  us  down.  Of  course  we  had  nothing  to  do 
but  wade  out  as  best  we  could.  I went  forward  two 
miles  to  the  Des  Plaines.  Here  I crossed  on  the 
bridge,  but  the  east  bank  was  low,  so  that  when  we 
got  ofiF  the  bridge  the  horse  was  midside  in  water, 
and  a sharp  piece  of  ice  setting  out  from  the  shore 
up  to  the  breast  of  the  horse.  There  was  no  going 
around.  The  horse  made  a spring  and  threw  his 
fore  feet  on  to  the  ice,  which  immediately  gave  way. 
In  this  way  we  reached  the  shore,  the  horse  break- 
ing the  ice  before  him.  The  Chicago  flat,  ten  miles 


136 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


across,  was  now  to  be  traveled.  It  was  covered 
with  ice  the  greater  part  of  the  way,  in  places  strong 
enough  to  bear  the  horse  with  a man,  while  some 
of  the  way  it  would  not  bear  a man  alone.  During 
the  whole  day  it  had  been  freezing,  so  that  when  I 
arrived  in  Chicago  myself  and  horse  were  covered 
with  ice.^^ 

The  writer  well  remembers  this  sheet  of  ice,  for 
that  same  Winter  he,  with  other  school  fellows  of 
Mr.  King^s  school,  skated  all  over  the  West  Side. 

I spent  a pleasant  day  in  Chicago,^^  continues 
W.  Wilcox.  ^^On  Monday  I started  up  the  North 
Branch  of  the  Chicago  River.  When  I was  out 
some  six  miles  I called  on  the  family  of  a local 
preacher,  and  found  them  coming  down  from  the 
loft,  where  they  had  been  held  prisoners  some  time  by 
the  waters,  which  had  submerged  the  lower  floor. 
On  my  way  out  I fell  in  company  with  a superan- 
nuated preacher  from  Maine,  and  we  traveled  on  to 
Deer  Grove,  south  of  Libertyville.  Before  we 
reached  the  grove  we  came  to  a creek  covered  with 
ice,  concerning  the  depth  of  which  we  could  tell 
nothing.  I threw  my  saddle-bags  over,  and  then 
on  full  charge  jumped  across.  The  brother  then 
drove  my  horse  in,  and  he  broke  the  way  for  the 
brother  to  ride  across.  From  Deer  Grove  I made 
my  way  to  the  Oplain,  forty  miles  north  of  Chicago, 
and  then  turned  up  the  lake  thirteen  miles,  and 
stayed  at  Brother  Shields’s.  After  crossing  the  chan- 
nel of  the  stream  on  the  bridge  the  horse  had  to 
make  his  way  through  water  a long  way  across  the 
flat.  The  next  morning  I had  to  cross  the  Oplain 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM, 


137 


to  a point  over  four  miles  south  of  Libertyville. 
I started  directly  for  the  point,  crossed  the  Chicago 
River,  and  reached  the  Oplain  (Des  Plaines),  where 
the  water  was  about  ten  feet  deep,  and  covered  with 
ice,  which  lay  on  the  top  of  the  water.  It  being 
impossible  to  cross  I had  to  retrace  my  steps  and 
return  north  thirteen  miles,  and  after  crossing  the 
river  return  south  the  same  distance.  The  next 
morning  I started  for  Wheeling,  but  when  I reached 
Buifalo  Creek  the  banks  were  overflowed  with  water 
and  ice.  Taking  a pole  from  the  fence  I broke  a 
way  before  my  horse  to  the  log  bridge,  to  find  the 
logs  afloat  and  rolling  in  the  water.  Here  I came 
to  a stand  still.  To  cross  was  to  risk  the  spoiling 
of  a borrowed  horse,  and  if  I should  get  to  the 
place  of  meeting  the  people  could  not  get  there.  I 
retired  and  halted  until  morning.  To  proceed  then 
was  to  swim  creeks  nearly  every  day  for  a week, 
wdth  any  amount  of  ice,  and  on  reaching  the  ap- 
pointments I would  not  be  likely  to  find  many 
people.  I was  now  where  I could  take  a ridge  and 
get  home  in  safety ; so  I concluded  to  try  the  road 
home.  But  in  going  home  the  water  often  flowed 
into  my  boots  while  sitting  on  my  horse.  Thus 
ended  the  breaking  up  of  the  Winter  in  1837. 
About  one  hundred  were  added  to  the  Church  this 
year,  and  about  the  same  on  Dupage  Circuit  the 
second  year.^^ 

The  appointments  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  were  as  follows;  Manchester;  St.  Charles; 
Curran^  one  mile  east  of  Clintonville ; Elgin; 

Dundee;  Denny’s  Ferry,  on  Fox  River;  Deer 

12 


138 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Grove;  Crystal  Lake;  at  Mrs.  Brookses,  some  miles 
north  of  Liberty ville ; at  the  junction  of  the  Oplain 
and  Lake-shore  Roads  — probably  at  the  ^^York 
House  on  the  Lake-shore  Road,  thirty  miles 
north  of  Chicago;  west  side  Oplain,  four  miles 
south  of  Liberty  ville ; Wheeling;  near  where  Chi- 
cago Road  crossed  the  Oplain ; Mr.  Walton^s ; Mark 
Noble’s,  on  North  Branch,  eight  miles  north  of  Chi- 
cago ; on  Oplain,  where  the  Elk  Grove  Road  crossed, 
near  the  present  crossing  of  the  North-western 
Railway;  Walker’s  Bridge;  steam  mill  at  the 
mouth  of  Salt  Creek ; Flag  Creek ; on  east  side  of 
East  Dupage ; west  side  of  the  same ; Charles  Gary’s, 
at  Gary’s  mill,  near  junction ; Sanderson’s ; Ham- 
mer’s, at  Hoosier  Grove ; Plumb  Grove ; Elk  Grove ; 
Dunkley’s  Grove ; Churchill’s  Grove ; Naperville ; 
east  side  of  Big  Woods;  and  Aurora,  making  thirty- 
two  appointments  in  four  weeks — four  more  than 
one  a day. 

It  will  appear  strange  to  the  new  race  to  hear 
that  week-day  appointments  were  as  well  attended 
and  as  prosperous  as  those  on  the  Sabbath.  The 
week-day  appointments  subsided  into  week  evening 
appointments,  and  they  at  last,  as  a general  thing, 
have  been  dispensed  with.  It  is  not  so  much  the 
fault  of  new  Methodism,  however,  that  things  are 
changed  as  of  the  changed  state  of  the  country. 
When  these  week-day  appointments  were  the  only 
opportunities  to  hear  preaching,  they  were  at- 
tended, but  when  towns  grew,  and  churches  were 
built,  and  Sabbath  preaching  established,  the  Meth- 
odist week-day  appointments  were  of  little  account. 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM. 


139 


William  Royal  organized  classes  in  1836  at  Elk 
Grove,  at  Wheeling,  and  at  Hoosier  Grove,  four 
miles  east  of  Elgin.  W.  Wilcox  organized  classes 
at  Naperville,  at  Elgin,  and  at  Plumb  Grove,  all  in 
1837.  The  names  of  members  at  Plumb  Grove 
were  Samuel  Smith  (leader)  and  wife;  Joseph  Smith 
and  Sarah  Smith,  his  wife ; and  Seth  Peck  and  wife, 
who  had  been  members  of  the  first  class  at  Elk 
Grove,  organized  by  Brother  Royal  in  1836. 

At  the  conference  of  1837  the  circuit  had  two 
hundred  members.  This  year  the  work  was  divided, 
the  Des  Plaines  Circuit  retaining  the  appointments 
up  and  down  the  Des  Plaines  River  from  Lockport 
to  Chicago,  Dupage  Circuit  taking  the  western  half. 
The  preachers  on  the  Des  Plaines  portion  were  D. 
Coulson  and  Amos  Wiley.  Amos  Wiley  was  a 
tailor  in  the  bounds  of  the  old  Ottawa  Mission,  and 
joined  conference  from  Juliet  in  1836.  He  con- 
tinued to  do  efiicient  work  for  some  years,  but  at 
length,  on  account  of  ill  health,  he  superannuated, 
and  still  is  a superannuated  member  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference. 

In  1838  the  Des  Plaines  Circuit  disappeared  from 
our  lists,  the  appointments  being  embraced  in  other 
newly  formed  circuits. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1834  William 
Royal  was  on  the  Ottawa  Circuit.  During  the  year 
the  settlers  poured  in  along  the  tributaries  of  the 
Fox  and  Rock  Rivers,  and  several  appointments 
were  established  along  Fox  River.  In  1835  all 
the  country  above  Milford  was  set  oif  into  a work, 
with  Brother  Royal  as  preacher.  Ottawa  included 


140 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  appointments  from  Ottawa  to  twenty  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  Fox  Eiver.  S.  F.  Whitney 
was  the  preacher.  During  the  year  the  wife  of  the 
preacher  Avas  overtaken  in  sin,  and  the  year  was  a 
failure.  Whitney  and  his  frail  wife  removed  East 
at  the  close  of  the  year,  leaving  a hundred  and 
sixty  members  on  the  Ottawa  charge.  Rufus  Lum- 
mery  was  sent  to  the  circuit  in  1836,  and  in  1837 
it  was  left  to  be  supplied,  S.  P.  Keyes,  who  had 
just  come  out  from  the  East,  supplied  the  work.  In 

1838  one  hundred  and  five  members  were  reported, 
V and  Leven  Moreland,  Avho  had  just  been  received 

into  the  conference,  was  appointed  to  OttaAva.  In 

1839  it  Avas  left  to  be  supplied.  The  first  class  Avas 
organized  at  OttaAA^a  in  1833  by  S.  R.  Beggs.  A 
neat  frame  church  was  erected  in  1847,  and  the 
present  fine  brick  was  built  under  the  supervision 
of  John  A.  Gray  in  1866,  and  dedicated  by  Dr.  T. 
M.  Eddy. 


CIRCUITS. 


141 


CHAPTER  X. 

CIRCUITS  FROM  1835  TO  1840  CONTINUED. 

IN  1834  S.  R.  Beggs  was  appointed  to  Bureau 
Mission,  and  in  1835  returned  to  the  charge. 
The  circuit  remained  about  the  same  as  the  year 
before.  There  was  a glorious  work  during  the  year, 
and  the  members  increased  from  one  hundred  to 
two  hundred  and  thirty-one,  Abraham  Jones  was 
the  first  class-leader  in  Princeton,  and  during  this 
year  Brother  Beggs  appointed  S.  F.  Denning  leader 
of  the  Princeton  class.  The  year  closed  with  a 
glorious  camp-meeting  at  Brother  Ellis’s,  above 
Jones,  on  Bureau.  W.  B.  Mack,  the  presiding 
elder,  and  A.  E.  Phelps,  who  came  up  from  Pekin 
to  help,  and  Brother  Beggs,  were  the  preachers. 
^^A.  E.  Phelps,”  says  Mr.  Beggs,  ^^gave  us  one  of 
his  best  efforts  from  the  second  Psalm.”  The  next 
year,  1836,  William  C.  Gumming  was  sent  to  the 
circuit.  He  was  a mild  and  aimable  man,  who  has 
furnished  one  or  two  sons  to  the  ministry,  and  now 
is  a superannuated  member  of  the  Central  Illinois 
Conference. 

In  1837  the  name  Bureau  ” was  discontinued, 
and  Princeton  ” appeared  in  its  stead,  with  Za- 
doc  Hall  as  preacher.  In  1832  the  country  was 
embraced  in  the  Peoria  Mission,  and  Zadoc  Hall 


142 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


being  on  that  work  explored  the  country  around 
Princeton,  establishing  appointments  and  organizing 
classes  among  the  settlements  along  Bureau  River. 
One  of  these  appointments,  as  we  have  seen,  was  at 
the  house  of  Abraham  Jones,  two  miles  north-west 
of  Princeton.  A class  was  formed  in  1833,  which 
was  the  nucleus  of  the  present  Princeton  Church. 
Brother  Hall  preached  at  this  place  in  1833  Sun- 
day afternoon,  and  led  class  after  preaching,  and  in 
1837,  when  the  name  was  changed  to  Princeton,  he 
was  again  on  the  work  to  break  the  bread  of  life 
to  the  people  in  the  yet  thinly  settled  neigh- 
borhoods. 

Zadoc  Hall  was  born  in  Delaware,  but  often 
has  been  taken  for  a Yankee  by  Yankees  them- 
selves; and  he  says  he  admits  that  he  likes  the 
Yankees.  He  must  have  come  to  Illinois  early,  for 
he  was  admitted  to  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1832. 
He  is  a quiet,  easy,  good  man,  who  may  be  relied  on 
in  any  time  of  trial,  and  was  appointed  to  several 
places  in  the  Rock  River  Conference  to  act  in  the 
capacity  of  peace- maker.  He  is  at  present  (1885)  a 
member  of  the  Central  Illinois  Conference. 

In  1836  an  attempt  was  made  to  build  a brick 
church  at  Princeton,  forty  by  sixty,  but  the  brick 
being  spoiled  in  burning,  the  subscription  was  all 
lost.  The  next  season  it  was  determined  to  reduce 
the  size  to  30  by  40 ; but  so  much  money  had  been 
sunk  in  the  first  attempt  this  second  undertaking 
could  not  go  on.  But  the  plucky  society  resolved 
to  have  a church  of  some  kind,  and  they  built  one 
twenty  by  thirty.  It  was  inclosed,  and  one  coat  of 


CIRCUITS. 


143 


plastering  put  on  just  before  Christmas,  1838.  It 
was  seated  with  temporary  benches,  and  there  were 
glorious  meetings  in  the  new  little  church.  It  was 
finished  in  the  Summer  of  1839,  and  dedicated  at  a 
quarterly-meeting  by  John  Sinclair. 

Buffalo  Grove  Circuit  included  the  country  east 
of  Galena  as  far  as  Rock  River,  and  south  to  Rock 
Island.  A young  man  named  L.  A.  Sugg  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  charge.  He  was  pious  and  laborious. 
In  the  month  of  June,  1835,  he  was  taken  sick,  and 
after  a few  weeks  of  suffering  died  in  the  Lord,  and 
was  buried  on  Apple  River,  near  where  Elizabeth 
now  stands.  He  was  not  regarded,^^  says  his  pre- 
siding elder,  as  a very  great  man ; but  his  consis- 
tent piety  made  a good  impression  on  all  who  knew 
him.  I loved  him  much.^^  He  had  been  admitted 
on  trial  at  the  conference  of  1834,  and  thus  early  he 
ended  his  career.  He  must  have  had  an  appoint- 
ment at  Elkhorn  Grove,  for  we  have  heard  the  old 
settlers  of  that  neighborhood  speak  of  him. 

Thirty  members  were  reported  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  which  included  all  the  members  of  the  Church 
in  the  country  between  the  Mississippi  and  Rock 
Rivers  not  included  in  the  Galena  charge. 

The  mission  was  continued  in  1835,  after  the 
death  of  L.  A.  Sugg,  by  James  McKean ; but,  for 
some  reason,  neither  the  work  nor  the  preacher’s 
name  appears  in  the  Minutes  of  that  year.  Mr. 
McKean  was  continued  on  the  charge  in  1836.  On 
the  6th  of  March,  1836,  six  months  before  the  con- 
ference of  that  year,  George  D.  H.  Wilcoxon  and 
family  settled  at  Buffalo  Grove,  then  in  Jo  Daviess 


144 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


County.  Another  family  came  with  Mr.  Wilcoxon, 
and  these,  with  what  were  already  on  the  ground, 
made  a neighborhood  of  sixteen  families. 

James  McKean  had  preached  there  regularly  for 
some  months  previous,  and  on  the  Sabbath  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Wilcoxons  formed  the  first  class  at 
Buffalo  Grove,  consisting  of  five  members.  Those 
first  notables  of  an  after  influential  circuit  were 
George  B.  H.  Wilcoxon;  Annie,  his  wife;  Nancy  A., 
his  daughter,  aged  thirteen,  now  (1863)  Mrs.  N.  A. 
Mason,  of  Polo ; Mrs.  Mary  Smith ; and  Oliver  W. 
Kellogg,  the  tavern-keeper.  The  settlement  was 
on  the  direct  road,  by  Dixon^s  Ferry,  from  Galena 
to  the  Wabash  River  country.  The  preaching  was 
held  for  several  months  in  the  back  room  of  the 
tavern,  where  the  class  and  Sunday-school  also  met. 
The  Sunday-school  was  organized  the  same  day  the 
class  was  formed.  The  number,  counting  all,  was 
about  twenty,  with  Mr.  Wilcoxon  as  superintendent. 
This  Sunday-school  and  class  have  never  been  suffered 
to  go  down,  and  now  Polo  Methodism  stands  as  the 
outgrowth  of  that  little  vine  planted  nearly  fifty 
years  ago.  The  attendance  upon  Mr.  McKean^s 
preaching  numbered  from  thirty  to  forty. 

In  the  Fall  of  1836  a large  school-house  was  built 
by  public  subscription,  and  was  used  for  all  public 
purposes  until  August,  1850,  when  a Methodist 
church  costing  $1,600  was  dedicated  by  Dr.  McNeil. 
In  September,  1 836,  the  first  camp-meeting  west  of 
Rock  River  was  held  at  Elkhorn  Grove,  one  of  the 
appointments  of  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit,  six  miles 
west  of  Buffalo  Grove.  There  were  many  conver- 


CIRCUITS. 


145 


sions  at  this  meeting.  The  ministers  in  attendance 
were  Alfred  Brunson,  presiding  elder  of  the  dis- 
trict; W.  Weigley,  of  Galena;  Colon  D.  James, 
Alexander  Irvine,  father  of  William  R.  Irvine,  from 
Byron ; and  M.  Shunk,  from  Apple  River. 

During  this  first  Summer  temperance  and  mis- 
sionary societies  were  formed  by  Wilcoxon  and 
others.  The  preaching  and  Sunday-school  were 
in  Brother  Wilcoxon’s  log  cabin,  fourteen  feet  square, 
when  not  convenient  to  have  meeting  at  the  tavern, 
and  many  of  the  early  ministers  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference  broke  bread  at  his  table  during  the 
early  years.  Bishop  Waugh  honored  the  log  cabin 
with  his  presence  on  his  way  to  the  Mt.  Morris 
Conference  in  1840. 

This  Brother  Wilcoxon  was  the  soul  of  Metho- 
dism in  the  Buffalo  Grove  country  until  his  death, 
although  a few  years  before  that  event  he  did  not 
feel  very  cheerful,  because  the  Central  Railway 
built  up  Polo  a mile  and  a half  from  Buffalo  town, 
and  drew  every  thing  away  from  the  old  ground. 
Age  clings  to  the  sacred  places  of  the  past.  It  is 
well  it  is  so.  From  this  comes  a conservatism  that 
gives  balance  to  the  driving  wheels  of  change.  The 
old  way  is  sometimes  too  slow,  but  this  often  pre- 
vents the  young  from  being  too  fast,  as  they  are 
often  inclined  to  be.  Brother  Wilcoxon  died  on 
the  6th  of  October,  1862,  at  sunrise,  after  a painful 
illness  of  three  weeks.  He  called  his  family  to  his 
bedside,  bade  each  one  farewell,  saying  just  before  he 
departed,  ^^All  is  well;  my  way  is  clear;  Jesus  is 
with  me.’^  Seven  weeks  later  his  wife  followed 
13 


146 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


him,  after  living  a Christian  life  for  fifty-nine  years. 
The  daughter,  Mrs.  N.  A.  Mason,  is  (1883)  the  only 
remaining  member  of  that  little  class.  O.  W.  Kel- 
logg left  the  Church  soon  after  uniting  with  it,  and 
Mrs.  Smith  left  the  place  about  the  same  time. 

The  circuit  for  1836  had  appointments  at  Wash- 
ington Grove,  Byron  (near  Freeport),  BulFalo  Grove, 
and  Elkhorn,  including  all  the  country  between  the 
Mississippi  and  Rock  Rivers  south  of  Freeport,  with 
one  or  two  appointments  on  the  east  side  of  Rock 
River.  In  the  Spring  of  1837  Brother  McKean 
organized  a class  near  Byron,  and  the  same  year 
Robert  Delap  was  appointed  to  Buffalo  Grove.  He 
was  an  old  and  successful  preacher,  having  joined 
the  Ohio  Conference  in  1820,  but  becoming  en- 
tangled in  the  Wesleyan  movement  he  withdrew 
from  the  Church  in  1843,  and  was  one  of  the  main 
leaders  of  Wesleyanism  for  many  years.  But  in 
1852  he  returned  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  joined  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  and  in  1863 
occupied  a superannuated  relation  in  the  West  Wis- 
consin Conference.  He  died  February  2,  1884, 
aged  eighty-seven. 

The  circuit  at  this  time  embraced  what  after- 
wards became  Mt.  Morris,  Light  House,  Dixon, 
Savannah,  and  Lee  Center  charges.  In  1838  two 
preachers  were  appointed ; these  were  Isaac  Pool 
and  Riley  E.  Hills.  Mr.  Hills  was  received  this 
year.  He  traveled  to  the  end  of  the  year,  and  then 
passed  out  of  sight.  These  were  succeeded  in  1839 
by  G.  G.  Worthington,  a good  and  noble  brother, 
who  sustained  an  honorable  relation  to  the  confer- 


CIRCUITS. 


147 


ence  until  its  division  in  1856,  when  he  fell  into 
the  Central  Illinois  Conference,  of  which  he  was  a 
member  until  his  death.  He  was  for  many  years 
missionary  treasurer  of  the  Rock  River  Conference. 

The  members  reported  from  Buffalo  Grove  Mis- 
sion in  1836  were  two  hundred  and  twenty-two, 
showing  that  there  were  many  Methodists  in  the 
country  in  that  early  day.  In  1839  there  were 
three  hundred  and  forty-five.  Many  of  these  mem- 
bers were  near  Mt.  Morris,  where  there  was  a good 
school  and  regular  preaching  in  1838. 

A circuit  was  set  oflF  in  1836,  including  the 
country  about  Galena,  and  called  Apple  River. 
An  account  of  its  origin  will  involve  the  history  of 
two  other  charges.  M.  Shunk,  who  has  been  for 
many  years  a faithful  laborer  in  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference, came  West  from  Pennsylvania  in  the  Fall 
of  1834.  He  fell  in  with  J.  D.  Winters,  from 
Apple  River,  at  Peoria,  who  persuaded  him  to  go 
to  his  place  to  open  a school.  Mr.  Shunk  accepted 
the  invitation,  and  set  out  for  Galena  by  stage. 
At  Dixon,  remaining  in  the  stage,  while  it  was 
waiting  an  hour  or  so,  he  was  accosted  by  John 
Sinclair,  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  who  intro- 
duced himself  and  Barton  Randle.  Sinclair  and 
Randle  were  on  their  way  to  Mt.  Carmel  to  attend 
conference.  Elder  Sinclair  informed  the  young 
school-teacher  that  there  was  no  preacher  or  preach- 
ing west  of  Rock  River,  except  at  Galena  and  Rock 
Island,  and  requested  him  to  go  on  and  do  the  best 
he  could,  and  he  would  send  a preacher  to  explore 
and  occupy  the  country  between  Rock  and  Mis- 


148 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


sissippi  Rivers.  Mr.  Shunk  went  on  to  Fort  Apple 
River,  and  halted  at  a place  fifteen  miles  south-east 
of  Galena,  near  where  Elizabeth  now  stands.  He 
found  no  school-house,  but  set  to  work  cutting  logs, 
and,  by  a little  help,  in  four  weeks  had  a small 
house  ready  to  occupy.  He  immediately  organized 
a Sabbath-school,  which  commenced  on  the  5th  of 
October,  1834.  The  day-school  was  opened  the 
next  day.  A preacher  was  sent  on ; but  he  was 
hardly  the  man  for  his  task.  It  was  L.  A.  Sugg, 
who  was  a very  good  young  man,  but  wanting  in 
experience.  By  the  time  young  Sugg  arrived 
Shunk^s  school-house  was  in  readiness  and  the  Sab- 
bath-school  in  operation.  Mr.  Sugg  soon  organized 
a class,  and  appointed  M.  Shunk  leader. 

A family  by  the  name  of  Jewell,  most  of  whom 
were  Methodists,  moved  into  the  neighborhood 
about  the  time  the  class  was  organized,  and  also  a 
Brother  Wilson,  and  there  were  good  meetings 
through  the  Winter.  The  class  in  a few  months 
numbered  sixteen  members.  This  was  the  only 
class  Brother  Sugg  organized  before  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  June,  1835.  There  was  no  one  to  sup- 
ply Mr.  Sugg’s  place,  and  Brother  Shunk  strove  to 
keep  up  meetings  in  the  school-house.  There  was 
Sunday-school  at  nine  o’clock ; at  eleven  o’clock 
Brother  Shunk  read  a sermon,  generally  from  Wes- 
ley; after  which  followed  prayer  and  class-meeting, 
with  a prayer-meeting  in  the  evening.  The  mis- 
sion was  called  Buffalo  Grove,  and  included  all  the 
settlements  between  the  Mississippi  and  Rock  River, 
from  Galena  to  Rock  Island.  The  charge  does  not 


CIRCUITS. 


149 


appear  on  the  Minutes  in  1835,  but  it  was  con- 
tinued, and  James  McKean  sent  on  as  preacher. 
He  established  appointments  in  all  parts  of  the 
work,  as  will  be  seen  in  our  account  of  Freeport 
Circuit,  and  during  the  year  gave  M.  Shunk  license 
to  exhort.  Mr.  McKean  returned  two  hundred  and 
twenty  members.  In  1836  the  circuit  was  divided 
into  three  parts,  the  parts  being  called  Buffalo 
Grove,  Apple  River,  and  Picatolica  Missions.  The 
last  afterwards  became  Freeport  Circuit.  A.  Brad- 
shaw was  appointed  to  Apple  River ; but  as  he  did 
not  go  to  his  work,  Apple  River  and  Picatolica 
Circuits  were  thrown  together  for  the  year,  and  M. 
Shunk  sent  on  as  a supply,  under  T,  W.  Pope,  who 
was  preacher  in  charge. 

In  1841  Samuel  Pillsbury  was  on  the  Apple 
River  charge,  and  the  extent  of  the  work  may  be 
seen  by  the  lists  of  appointments.  The  appointments 
were  at  Avery^s  Hollow ; E.  CoviPs  house ; Thomas 
Burton’s  house  ; Myron  S.  Hill’s  ; Gleason’s ; Eliz- 
abeth, where  the  preaching  was  still  in  a log  school- 
house  ; Fairplay  school-house ; Vinegar  Hill,  in 
Mr.  Shattuck’s  house,  where  the  preacher  formed  a 
class  and  appointed  Brother  Rogers,  who  now  lives 
at  Marengo,  leader;  and  at  Leckley’s  Furnace,  in 
the  house  of  .Mark  Leckley,  who  was  a local 
preacher.  The  people  here  and  at  Council  Hill 
built  a chapel  in  1841,  in  which  Pillsbury  preached 
after  its  completion.  From  Leckley’s  the  preacher 
went  to  Hardscrabble,  where  a chapel  was  built  in 
1842;  thence  to  Aldridge’s;  to  New  Higgins;  to 
Council  Hill,  where  a class  was  formed  in  1842,  with 


150 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


William  Lightfoot  as  leader ; to  Meek’s ; to  Small- 
pox Creek,  where  another  class  was  organized,  with 
A.  Chase  as  leader ; to  Miner’s  Chapel ; to  White- 
oak  Springs,  where  another  class  was  organized  by 
Mr.  Pillsbury,  with  a Brother  Ankeney  as  leader  ; 
to  Soule’s ; to  Shullsburg,  where  the  meetings  were 
held  in  a school-house ; to  the  head  of  Apple  River, 
where  the  preaching  was  in  James  Thomas’s  house ; 
and  to  Alleghany  Settlement.  There  were  three 
chapels  on  the  circuit.  The  leaders  not  already 
named  were  R.  Cundiff,  John  Davis,  Henry  Wy- 
man, Joseph  Liddle,  James  Pratt,  E.  Howe,  and 
Abram  Crissey.  The  circuit  extended  along  the 
Illinois  line,  between  Galena  and  Plattville,  as 
much  as  thirty  miles  east. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


151 


CHAPTER  XI. 

NEW  CIRCUITS  FROM  1835  TO  1840. 

Having  sketched  the  progress  of  the  old  cir- 
cuits for  our  half-decade,  we  turn  to  the  new 
works  constituted  during  this  time ; and  first  on 
our  list  is  Fox  River  Mission,  opened  in  1835, 
with  William  Royal  as  preacher.  This  is  altogether 
a different  affair  from  Jesse  Walker’s  Fox  River 
Mission  of  1829.  That  took  all  *from  Ottawa  to 
Chicago ; this  embraced  all  from  Ottawa  to  Rock- 
ford. William  Royal  was  on  Ottawa  Mission  the 
year  before,  and  pushed  up  Fox  River  as  far  as  the 
white  man  had  gone.  Ottawa  was  made  the  center 
of  a circuit,  and  all  the  appointments  north  of  Mil- 
ford, and  the  country  beyond  to  Rock  River,  con- 
stituted a mission,”  which  this  peer  among  pioneer 
princes,  who  afterwards  labored  in  Oregon  effect- 
ually, was  sent  to  explore.  A few  of  the  appoint- 
ments were  established  the  year  before ; but  at 
Pleasant  Grove  (now  Marengo),  Belvidere,  and 
Rockford,  he  preached  the  first  sermons  and  organ- 
ized classes.  When  it  was  found  that  one  preacher 
was  not  sufficient,  Samuel  Pillsbury,  who  joined  con- 
ference the  next  year,  was  supplied  to  aid  Brother 
Royal  in  his  work.  We  do  not  know  what  were 
the  appointments  in  the  beginning  of  the  year,  but 


152 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


during  the  last  months  of  the  year  the  route  trav- 
eled every  four  weeks  was  somewhat  as  follows  : 
Starting  from  Millbrook,  in  the  southern  part  of 
Kendall  County,  the  preachers  went  to  Mr.  Wellses, 
south  of  Yorkville  ; to  Daniel  Pierce’s,  now  Os- 
wego ; to  McCarty’s,  at  Aurora ; to  Hammer’s,  at 
Hoosier  Grove,  east  of  Elgin  ; to  Charles  Gary’s, 
three  miles  north  of  Warrenville;  to  Salt  Creek ; to 
Elk  Grove ; to  Plumb  Grove ; Everett’s ; Alexan- 
der’s ; Mark  Noble’s,  on  North  Branch  of  Chicago 
River,  six  miles  from  Chicago,  where  there  was  a 
small  church,  built  in  1838;  Wissencraft’s,  on  the 
Des  Plaines  ; Libertyville  ; Brook’s  ; Ladd’s,  near 
the  State  line  ; Marsh’s  Grove,  preaching  at  Brother 
Russell’s  ; Deer  Grove  ; Dundee  ; Crystal  Lake ; 
Virginia  Settlement,  north  of  Woodstock  ; Pleasant 
Grove  ; Mason’s,  two  miles  below  (West)  Belvidere; 
Enoch’s,  eight  miles  north-east  of  Rockford ; Mouth 
of  Kishwaukie ; Lee’s  Mill,  near  Sycamore;  Wal- 
rod’s ; Seeley’s,  at  Squaw  Grove;  and  at  Somanoc, 
where  the  preaching  was  at  Brother  Hough’s.  What 
a circuit ! 

S.  R.  Beggs,  being  on  Bureau  Mission  this  year, 
went  up  in  place  of  the  elder  to  hold  a quarterly- 
meeting, in  the  Summer  of  1836,  on  William 
Royal’s  circuit.  The  meeting  was  on  Sycamore 
Creek,  and  was  probably  the  first  ever  held  in  that 
country.  Returning  towards  his  home  at  Walker’s 
Grove,  he  spent  a Sabbath  at  Somanoc,  at  Hough’s, 
about  three  miles  from  Sandwich,  preaching  in  the 
forenoon  and  evening.  Many  notes  of  interest  are 
at  hand  concerning  Brother  Royal’s  work ; but 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


153 


they  will  more  properly  appear  in  connection  with 
other  charges. 

At  the  conference  of  1836  one  hundred  and 
nineteen  members  were  reported,  and  the  mission 
was  divided,  the  appointments  constituting  the  Des 
Plaines  and  Sycamore  Circuits,  and  the  name  dis- 
appears from  the  Minutes.  Des  Plaines,  on  which 
W.  Wilcox  traveled,  we  have  already  noted.  Syc- 
amore (in  1836)  received  Stephen  Arnold  as 
preacher.  He  was  a physician,  who  joined  the  con- 
ference this  year.  His  name  appears  on  the  Min- 
utes of  1837  as  preacher-in-charge  of  Sycamore  Cir- 
cuit ; but  for  some  reason  he  changed  with  L.  S. 
Walker,  and  was  on  the  Somanoc  work.  He  ceased 
to  travel  in  1838,  and  soon  after  died. 

Sycamore  in  1836  embraced  all  the  appointments 
established  by  William  Royal  that  Summer  between 
Fox  and  Rock  Rivers,  from  Blackberry  to  Roscoe. 
Dr.  Arnold  organized  the  class  of  four  members  at 
Chicken  Grove  in  1837. 

The  work  prospered  this  year  (1837  to  1838)  on 
Sycamore  Circuit,  with  L.  S.  Walker  to  lead,  and 
William  Gaddis  to  lend  a helping  hand.  John 
Clark  was  the  presiding  elder,  and  he  had  the  ca- 
pacity of  a general  to  keep  all  subordinates  in 
moving  order.  The  quarterly-meetings  were  great 
battle-scenes,  where  victory  generally  fell  upon  Is- 
rael’s side.  The  first  quarterly-meeting  of  the  year 
was  held  at  Roscoe,  November  18  and  19,  1837. 
John  Clark  attended  as  elder.  It  was  the  first  held 
anywhere  in  that  part  of  the  country.  Elias  Crary, 
of  Chicken  Grove,  accompanied  Elder  Clark  to  this 


154 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


meeting.  On  their  way  across  the  trackless  prai- 
ries they  became  surrounded  by  surging  flames  of 
prairie-fire,  which  rose  so  high  at  one  time  they 
scorched  the  whiskers  on  their  faces.  Many  stacks 
of  wheat  and  hay  were  consumed.  The  second 
quarterly-meeting  was  held  in  January,  1838.  It 
was  held  in  a log  house,  and  the  weather  was  so 
cold  a bowl  of  water,  standing  on  a table  between 
the  elder  and  the  fire,  froze  over,  the  ice  being  as 
thick  as  window-glass.  The  third  meeting  was  in 
Belvidere,  April  27,  1838,  the  first  ever  held  in 
that  place.  On  Saturday  the  meetings  were  in  a 
small  log  house,  used  as  a school-room.  On  Sun- 
day they  were  moved  to  a frame  building,  just  in- 
closed as  a workshop.  Elder  Clark  preached  on 
Saturday  at  this  first  Belvidere  quarterly-meeting, 
using  as  a text  James  i,  25 : But  whoso  looketh 

into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,^^  etc.  On  Sunday 
morning  he  took  for  his  text  2 Cor.  viii,  9 : For 

ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
though  he  was  rich,^^  etc.  The  fourth  quarterly- 
meeting was  held  in  Rockford,  and  was  probably 
the  first  ever  held  in  the  place.  It  was  held  in  a 
barn  the  first  week  in  July,  1838.  The  circuit 
had  been  divided  at  the  last  conference ; but  it 
kept  its  members  good,  reporting  one  hundred  and 
seventy-four. 

The  next  year  (1838)  Elihu  Springer  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  Somanoc  charge,  which  embraced 
the  south-eastern  part  of  the  old  Sycamore  Circuit. 
Rockford  Circuit  had  taken  the  western  portion. 
In  1839  Rockford  Circuit  was  divided,  and  Syca- 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


155 


more  appeared  again  on  the  Minutes.  Sycamore 
has  ever  since  given  name  to  a charge. 

Juliet  {Joliet  after  1847)  gave  name  to  a circuit 
in  lg36,  with  S.  R.  Beggs  arid  a supply  named 
Turner,  as  preachers.  It  embraced  about  the  same 
appointments  as  were  included  in  the  Des  Plaines 
work  the  year  before ; the  name  Des  Plaines  being 
given  to  an  almost  entirely  new  work,  from  Elgin 
to  Chicago.  The  Juliet  Circuit  for  1836  embraced 
appointments  from  Reed’s  Grove,  near  Wilmington, 
to  Lockport  and  Plainfield.  The  town  of  Juliet 
was  originally  laid  out  by  Drummond  Campbell  in 
the  month  of  June,  1834.  At  the  time  there  were 
but  two  houses  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
city.  In  July,  1835,  including  barns  and  shanties, 
there  were  about  thirty  buildings  in  town. 

S.  R.  Beggs  preached  to  a small  congregation  in 
a private  house  the  first  Methodist  sermon  in  the 
town,  soon  after  it  was  laid  out.  In  the  Spring  of 
1835  Rev.  Mr.  Prentice  went  to  Juliet  as  mission- 
ary of  the  Presbyterian  Home  Mission  Society,  and 
a Sabbath-school  was  organized,  chiefly  under  Pres- 
byterian influence,  in  August,  1835;  but  no  Pres- 
byterian Church  was  organized  until  January  25, 
1837.  Some  time  in  1835,  probably  in  the  Spring, 
David  Blackwell,  who  was  on  Des  Plaines  Mission, 
organized  a class  in  the  village,  consisting  of  three 
or  four  members.  Thomas  Blackburn  was  leader, 
Catherine  Baker  and  Rachel  Hobbs  were  members. 
There  was  a quarterly-meeting  held  at  Joliet  in 
February,  1836,  and  at  the  quarterly-meeting  held 
at  the  Big  Woods,  near  Batavia,  in  the  Fall  of  1836, 


156 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM 


Amos  Wiley  came  up  from  Juliet  class  with  a rec- 
ommendation for  license  to  preach.  At  a quarterly- 
meeting of  Des  Plaines  Circuit,  held  at  Zarley’s, 
on  Spring  Creek,  commencing  September  5,  1835, 
a committee  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining a lot  in  the  town  of  Juliet,  in  Cook  County, 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a Methodist  church 
thereon.^^  The  committee  were  George  West,  James 
Steers,  Aaron  Moore,  J.  Reynolds,  R.  Zarley,  A. 
Crowel,  and  James  Walker.  This  movement  did 
not  originate  in  the  necessity  for  a building  to  ac- 
commodate the  society,  but  to  provide  for  future 
needs ; for  the  Methodist  preachers  always  worked 
with  a full  expectation  of  occupying  the  opening 
field.  S.  R.  Beggs  obtained  a subscription  to  build 
a church  during  his  year,  which  was  commenced  in 
1837,  and  inclosed  before  conference,  so  that  the 
preachers  preached  in  it.  It  was  not  finished,  how- 
ever, until  1838.  During  the  year  there  was  a 
glorious  camp-meeting  on  Hickory  Creek.  Sister 
Shoemaker,  of  Reed^s  Grove,  was  a member  of  the 
Church,  but  did  not  enjoy  an  evidence  of  her  ac- 
ceptance. All  through  this  camp-meeting  she  strug- 
gled to  get  into  light ; but  the  meeting  closed  with 
little  change  for  the  better.  The  company  in  wag- 
ons struck  a line  across  the  prairie  homeward,  sing- 
ing and  praying  as  they  went.  Brother  Shoemaker 
was  driving  his  own  team.  He  heard  all  at  once  an 
unusual  shout  behind  him  in  the  wagon.  God  had 
powerfully  converted  his  wife.  Shoemaker  shouted 
Glory  to  God  dropped  the  lines,  and  fell  back- 
ward. His  horses,  being  on  their  way  home,  were 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


157 


soon  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  the  whole  load  lying 
flat  in  the  wagon.  The  horses  ran  four  or  flve  miles 
before  they  were  stopped. 

This  was  a successful  year,  both  in  conversions 
and  additions  to  the  Church.  Mr.  Beggs  reported 
two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  members  at  the  close 
of  the  year,  being  nearly  as  many  as  were  on  the 
large  Des  Plaines  Circuit  the  year  before.  A church 
was  commenced  at  Plainfleld,  which,  however,  was 
not  finished  until  1838.  The  second  quarterly- 
meeting for  the  year  was  held  at  Joliet,  February 
18,  1837.  The  following  members  were  present  at 
the  quarterly  conference : Henry  Whitehead,  George 
West,  J.  Foster,  and  A.  M.  S.  Comstock,  local 
preachers;  Wm.  Brewer,  Isaiah  Shaw,  and  Francis 
Owen,  exhorters.  The  third  quarterly-meeting  was 
held  at  Owen^s  camp-ground,  July  8th;  the  fourth 
at  Joliet,  September  2,  1837.  At  the  last  quarterly- 
meeting, provision  was  made  for  three  circuits,  and 
their  bounds  fixed.  They  were  called  Juliet,  Forked 
Creek,  and  Thornton.  At  the  conference  of  1837 
William  S.  Crissey  was  appointed  to  Joliet.  Mr. 
Crissey  was  a fine  man,  a good  preacher  and  pastor, 
with  much  business  tact,  who  had  joined  the  Illinois 
Conference  in  1830.  This  was  his  first  year  in  our 
bounds.  He  continued  two  years  on  Joliet  Circuit, 
and  in  1839  took  a superannuated  relation,  and  on 
the  division  of  the  conference  in  1840  fell  into  the 
Illinois  Conference,  and  appeared  no  more  in  the 
bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  In  1849  he 
located,  and  in  1868  he  was  in  some  kind  of  busi- 
ness in  Chicago. 


158 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


The  third  quarterly-meeting  for  the  year  begin- 
ning in  1837  was  held  in  the  new  church  in  Joliet, 
May  25,  1838.  The  first  sermon  was  by  Brother 
Goodrich,  on  Friday  night.  John  Clark,  on  Sab- 
bath, preached  a sermon  on  Universalism.  The 
subject  had  been  announced  beforehand,  and  the 
house  was  crowded  to  overflowing.  He  spoke  for 
two  hours  and  a quarter  to  a deeply  attentive  crowed. 
The  church  was  not  yet  completed.  The  Tuesday 
before  the  meeting  nothing  but  the  siding  and  roof 
w^as  on.  On  Friday  night  the  house  w^as  inclosed, 
and,  with  loose  plank  for  a floor  and  boards  for 
benches,  the  early  Methodists  held  their  jubilee  in 
the  now  puissant  city.  This  church  was  used  as  an 
engine-house  in  1857,  and  stood  near  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad  depot.  At  the  last  quarterly-meet- 
ing three  Sunday-schools  were  reported,  having 
twenty-two  officers  and  teachers  and  one  hundred 
and  tw^elve  scholars.  One  of  these  was  at  Joliet, 
another  at  Aaron  Morels,  the  third  at  Owen’s.  From 
the  Joliet  work,  which  was  now  small,  one  hundred 
and  eighty-eight  members  were  reported  in  1838, 
and  W.  S.  Crissey  returned  to  the  circuit,  with 
Asbury  Chenowdth  as  assistant  prea*cher. 

Asbury  Chenowith  w^as  received  into  the  Illi- 
nois Conference  in  1836,  and  had  traveled  previous 
to  coming  to  Joliet  in  the  Wabash  country.  The 
year  following  (1839)  he  w^as  appointed  to  Green 
Bay.  In  1840  he  located.  During  the  year,  the 
two  churches  begun  in  1837  at  Plainfield  and  Joliet 
were  finished,  and  there  was  some  success  in  the 
general  w^ork,  the  preachers  reporting  two  hundred 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


159 


and  twenty- five  members.  In  1839  W.  Weigley 
was  appointed  to  the  circuit. 

The  Forked  Creek  Mission,  which  was  formed 
from  a portion  of  the  Joliet  Circuit  in  1837,  re- 
ceived S.  R.  Beggs  as  preacher,  and  included  the 
territory  indicated  by  the  following  appointments : 
Winchester;  Forked  Creek;  south  side  the  Kan- 
kakee, at  R.  W.  Stewart^s;  Widow  Carothers^s; 
Williams’s;  a school-house  at  Reed’s  Grove;  and 
Beardstown,  on  the  Kankakee.  John  Frazure  was 
leader  at  Forked  Creek,  where  there  were  fifty-four 
members ; at  Reed’s  Grove  there  were  twenty-nine 
members.  The  Summer  of  1838  was  a sickly  season. 
There  were  but  few  members  on  the  circuit,  and 
they  were  generally  poor,  and  quarterage  was  light. 

But,”  says  their  preacher  of  that  year,  they  had 
big  souls.”  There  was  a camp-meeting  at  Reed’s 
Grove.  John  Clark  preached  once,  and  left,  throw- 
ing the  care  of  the  meeting  upon  Brother  Beggs. 
The  meeting  went  on  gloriously,  and  by  Monday 
morning  nearly  every  sinner  around  had  been  for- 
ward for  prayers.  Brother  Shoemaker  and  George 
Linebarger  and  some  good  brethren  from  Forked 
Creek  were  present  as  faithful  laborers,  and  the 
Lord  was  present  to  heal.  Such  displays  of  di- 
vine power  I have  seldom  witnessed,”  says  Brother 
Beggs.  The  year  closed  with  one  hundred  and  ten 
members. 

The  next  year  (1838)  the  name  was  changed  to 
Wilmington,  called  thus  after  one  of  the  main  ap- 
pointments, and  Milton  Bourne  appointed  to  the 
work.  Wilmington  became  a town  in  1838,  but 


160 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


not  being  in  a situation  to  thrive,  remained  a feeble 
burg,  like  too  many  of  our  Illinois  towns,  until 
1854.  Then  the  Alton  Railway  was  built  through 
the  place,  and  it  began  to  take  an  upward  start. 
The  circuit  embraced  all  the  neighborhood  along 
the  Kankakee  River,  from  Channahon  to  Momence. 

Mr.  Bourne  was  followed  in  1839  by  William 
Vallette,  who,  on  account  of  sickness,  superan- 
nuated in  1848,  and  settled  at  Elgin  as  a physician, 
Mr.  Vallette  was  a warm-hearted  man,  of  devoted 
life,  and  his  revivals  along  the  Kankakee  River, 
where  many  prominent  persons  were  converted,  are 
remembered  till  this  day.  He  was  admitted  into 
the  Illinois  Conference  in  1839,  and  continued  to 
travel  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference 
until  he  retired  in  1848,  being  appointed  to  Proph- 
etstown  in  1840;  Elgin,  1841,  Crystal  Lake,  1843; 
McHenry,  1844;  and  Mt.  Morris  in  1846.  He  be- 
gan at  Wilmington  with  ninety-six  members,  and 
ended  the  year  with  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight. 
Enfeebled  by  sickness  and  age,  he  removed  with  his 
sons  to  Kansas  in  1870,  where  he  died  February 
7,  1872. 

Thornton  Mission,  the  other  work  that  was 
set  off  from  the  Joliet  Circuit  in  1837,  received  M. 
Bourne  as  preacher,  and  included  appointments  in 
the  regions  around  Crete  and  Thornton,  on  Thorn 
Creek,  down  to  Lockport.  There  were  but  few 
members,  and  the  work  of  the  preacher  was  almost 
entirely  that  of  exploring.  Fifty-four  members 
were,  however,  reported  to  conference.  In  1838 
the  name  was  changed  to  Crete,  and  Jesse  Halsted, 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


161 


who  traveled  several  years  thereafter  in  Wisconsin, 
was  appointed  to  the  charge.  Mr.  Halsted  was  fol- 
lowed in  1839  by  a man  supplied  by  the  elder,  and 
in  1840  Crete,  as  a separate  charge,  went  out  of 
sight,  to  reappear  again  thirteen  years  after. 

Des  Plaines  Circuit  was  divided  in  1837,  and 
that  portion  lying  along  Fox  River  east,  nearly  to 
Chicago,  was  called  Dupage.  W.  Wilcox,  who 
had  been  on  the  Des  Plaines  Circuit  the  year  be- 
fore, and  R.  W.  Clark  were  appointed  to  the  work. 
This  Brother  Clark  had  been  admitted  on  trial  the 
year  before,  and  appointed  to  Marion,  in  Central 
Illinois.  He  traveled,  after  this,  Winchester  Cir- 
cuit in  1838,  and  in  1839  located. 

From  the  territory  of  this  circuit,  where  are  now 
so  many  of  our  fine  appointments,  in  1838  two 
hundred  and  sixty-one  members  were  reported — a 
large  number  for  one  circuit  in  that  early  time,  but  a 
small  number  compared  with  those  who  are  working 
now  in  those  old  limits.  In  1838  W.  Wilcox  was 
returned  to  the  work,  with  William  Gaddis  as  col- 
league. Elgin  Circuit  had  been  organized;  with 
this  exception  the  circuit  was  about  the  same  as  be- 
fore. The  same  number  of  members  as  the  last 
year  was  reported,  which,  if  we  report  those  from 
Elgin,  make  for  the  old  circuit  five  hundred  and 
forty-four.  The  next  year,  1839,  William  Kimball 
was  sent  on  as  preacher  in  charge,  and  William 
Gaddis  continued  as  junior. 

William  Kimball  commenced  traveling  in  the 
New  England  Conference  in  1828,  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  Bristol,  New  Hampshire  (Bristol,  Illinois, 

14 


162 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


was  his  last  appointment  in  the  regular  work).  He 
was  afterwards  appointed  to  Eochester  and  Barnard, 
in  Vermont,  and  in  1833  located.  He  was  re- 
admitted into  the  New  England  Conference  and 
appointed  to  Gill  and  Thomson,  and  in  1837  located 
to  come  West.  He  was  readmitted  into  the  Illinois 
Conference  in  1839  and  appointed,  as  we  have  seen, 
to  Dupage.  He  was  naturally  a warm-hearted  man 
of  an  ardent  and  impulsive  temperament,  and  was 
carried  away  with  the  Wesleyan  movement  of 
1840-43,  and  in  1842  located  in  order  to  join  the 
Wesleyan  Church.  He  resided  afterward  near 
Wheaton,  Illinois,  and  was  an  active  worker  in  the 
Wesleyan  cause,  and  one  of  the  chief  agents  in 
originating  and  supporting  the  Wesleyan  Institute 
at  Wheaton,  an  institution  which  by  some  manage- 
ment went  to  the  Congregationalists  in  1860.  In 
1853  Father  Kimball  left  the  Wesley ans  and  re- 
turned to  the  Church  of  his  early  choice,  and  in 
1857  was  employed  by  the  elder  on  Chicken  Grove 
Circuit.  What  a multitude  of  faithful  men  these 
radical  (Protestant,  Wesleyan,  and  Nazarite)  move- 
ments have  carried  away  by  their  pernicious  influ- 
ences! Usefulness  and  influence  all  gone,  they  live 
to  destroy  the  Church  that  nursed  them  into  spirit- 
ual life.  Brother  Kimball  was  still,  in  1868,  a mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Church,  residing  at  Wheaton, 
in  his  seventy -eighth  year,  fifty-fourth  of  his  minis- 
try, and  fifty-eighth  of  his  Christian  life. 

Mr.  Kimball  traveled  the  Dupage  Circuit,  com- 
mencing in  1839,  and  ^^had,^^  as  he  says,  glorious 
good  times  in  the  waj  of  .the  i^nversion  of  sinners.^^ 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


163 


The  circuit  was  about  seventy  miles  around,  with 
nine  Sabbath  appointments.  The  first  Sabbath  the 
preachers  preached  in  the  morning  at  St.  Charles, 
in  the  afternoon  at  Geneva,  and  in  the  evening  at 
Batavia;  the  second  Sabbath  at  Big  Woods  in  the 
morning,  Aurora  in  the  afternoon  and  evening ; the 
third  Sabbath  at  Naperville  in  the  morning,  at 
Cass  Point  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening 
somewhere  near  by;  the  fourth  Sabbath  at  Gary^s 
mill  in  the  morning,  and  Babcock^s  Grove  in  the 
afternoon.  Besides  there  were  many  week-day  ap- 
pointments. The  outlines  were  from  St.  Charles  to 
Aurora,  thence  to  Naperville,  thence  to  Salt  Creek, 
thence  to  the  Des  Plaines  River,  back  by  Babcock^s 
Grove  to  St.  Charles.  This  work  they  rode  on 
horseback,  hearty,  happy,  and  well.^^  During  the 
first  year  about  seventy  were  added  to  the  Church ; 
the  second  year  about  one  hundred,  nearly  all  new 
converts.  The  revivals  were  most  successful  at  Au- 
rora, Big  Woods,  Gary^s  mill,  and  at  Warren ville. 
James  Selkrig,  who  afterwards  went  to  the  Wes- 
leyans,  and  was,  in  1856,  a spiritualist  lecturer,  and 
in  1865  a member  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Wau- 
kegan, where  we  trust  he  is  resting  his  unquiet 
spirit,  was  the  assistant  preacher  the  second  year. 
The  preaching  in  most  places  was  in  private  houses 
built  of  logs,  the  congregations  coming  on  foot,  on 
sleds,  and  in  ox  wagons.  The  quarterly-meetings 
were  attended  by  people  who  came  twenty  and  thirty 
miles. 

There  were  four  camp-meetings  during  the  two 
years  Mr.  Kimball  was  on  the  Dupage  Circuit,  over 


164 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


all  of  which  John  Clark  presided  with  great  ac- 
ceptance. The  first  was  on  Poplar  Creek^  near 
Elgin.  The  work  went  beyond  all  control.  Brother 
Kimball  baptized  some  six  or  eight,  and  on  march- 
ing from  the  water  back  to  camp  two  or  three  old 
men,  hardened  sinners,  began  to  cry  aloud  for  mercy, 
and  attempted  to  run  off  the  ground^  but  fell  pros- 
trate to  the  earth.  This  affected  the  crowd,  so  that 
a general  conviction  fell  on  the  people.  There 
were  cries  going  up  to  God  from  convicted  sinners, 
and  shouts  from  new  born  souls.  The  remainder 
of  that  day  was  occupied  with  this  most  interesting 
work.  This  was  in  the  Summer  of  1838;  the 
greater  meeting  was  reserved  for  1839. 

The  accommodations  were  about  alike  all  over 
the  conference.  The  preachers  preached  in  log 
houses  about  twelve  by  fourteen,  with  one  or  two 
beds  in  a room  used  for  seats.  The  children  would 
perch  themselves  on  the  ladder  rounds,  and  boards 
were  laid  on  chairs  for  the  older  people.  The 
preacher  used  a chair  for  a desk  and  was  generally 
penned  in  one  corner.  We  remember  preaching  in 
such  a place  at  Mineral  Point,  where  the  people 
were  standing  looking  in  our  face  within  arm^s 
length.  The  congregations  were  not  so  large  as 
now,  but  the  houses  were  full. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


165 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  WORK  FROM  \%'6b  TO  1840  CONTINUED. 

IN  1838  the  northern  portion  of  the  Dupage  Cir- 
cuit was  set  off  into  a new  charge^  which  from 
the  main  appointment  was  called  Elgin  Circuit. 
From  that  time  Elgin  has  not  ceased  to  appear 
regularly  on  the  minutes.  Some  time  in  the  Sum- 
mer of  1836  one  or  two  families  by  the  name  of 
Hammer  settled  at  Hoosier  Grove,  four  miles  east 
of  Elgin,  and  an  appointment  was  established  there 
soon  after. 

William  Royal,  when  on  the  Fox  River  Mission 
in  1836,  explored  the  country  east  of  Elgin,  organ- 
izing classes  and  establishing  appointments;  among 
others  the  class  at*  Hoosier  Grove  was  organized  by 
him.  There  were  seven  members,  whose  names 
were  Joseph  Russel,  Sen.,  and  wife,  Joseph  Russel, 
Jr.,  and  wife,  George  Hammer,  Rebecca  and  Eliza- 
beth Hammer.  The  class  was  left  for  a time  with- 
out a regularly  appointed  leader,  but  Brother  Ham- 
mer served  for  a time  in  that  capacity.  Early  in 
1837  Brother  Burritt  was  appointed  leader.  This 
was  in  some  sense  the  beginning  of  the  Elgin 
Church.  W.  Wilcox,  who  supplied  the  newly 
formed  Des  Plaines  Circuit  in  1836,  entered  upon 
his  work  in  December,  and  preached  in  Elgin,  De- 


166 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


cember  12,  1836.  This  was  probably  the  first 
Methodist  sermon  in  that  town.  The  text  was 
Psalm  Ixiii,  2 : To  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory 

so  as  I have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary.^^  Brother 
Wilcox  established  a regular  appointment,  and  on 
his  regular  rounds  preached  in  the  village  January 
9th  and  23d,  February  20th,  April  17th,  May  15th, 
June  12th,  July  10th,  August  7th,  and  September 
4th.  At  his  visit  June  12,  1837,  he  organized  the 
Elgin  class  at  Solomon  Hamilton's. 

S.  Hamilton  was  born  in  New  England  in  1773, 
and  was  brought  up  a Calvinist,  but  was  early  led 
to  Christ  through  the  labors  of  the  first  Methodists. 
He  made  a profession  of  religion  for  seventy  years. 
Coming  to  Elgin  in  1836  he  at  once  became  a lead- 
ing man  in  Methodism,  and  was  an  official  member 
in  different  capacities  until  his  death  at  Elgin,  June 
20,  1857,  at  which  time  he  was  eighty-four  years  of 
age.  Mr.  Wilcox  had  a year  of  severe  labor,  but 
was  enabled  to  report  two  hundred  and  eighty-two 
members  at  its  close.  When  the  Elgin  Circuit  was 
formed  in  1838  Hiram  W.  Frink  and  Jonathan  M. 
Snow  were  sent  on  as  preachers. 

H.  W.  Frink  was  received  into  the  Illinois 
Conference  in  1837,  and  appointed  to  Sheboygan, 
in  Wisconsin.  In  1839  he  went  to  Watertown,  in 
1840  to  Summit,  in  1841  to  Sycamore,  and  in  1842 
he  was  again  appointed  to  work  in  Wisconsin,  and 
has  ever  since  filled  appointments  in  the  bounds  of 
that  State. 

J.  M.  Snow  was  born  in  Montpelier,  Vermont, 
October  30,  1809,  and  at  seventeen  years  of  age 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


167 


embraced  religion  and  joined  the  Methodist  Church. 
In  1838  he  was  admitted  into  the  Illinois  Confer- 
ence. He  had  been  for  some  time  previous  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  business  at  Racine.  He  con- 
tinued to  travel  until  1852,  being  appointed  to 
Princeton,  Mt.  Morris,  Geneva,  Washington,  Sylva- 
nia,  Troy,  Janesville,  Mineral  Point,  and  Madison, 
all  but  the  first  two  in  Wisconsin.  Some  time  in 
1852  he  got  into  some  difficulties  with  his  confer- 
ence, which  caused  him  to  locate.  Six  years  passed 
and  he  was  readmitted  and  placed  in  a superannu- 
ated relation,  and  thereafter  he  lived  most  of  the 
time  in  Chicago.  His  lungs  became  affected  while 
on  the  Sylvania  Circuit,  and  his  health  continued 
to  fail  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Chicago, 
April,  1862.  When  asked  as  to  his  prospects  he 
began  quoting, — 

‘‘Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath, 

I may  but  gasp  His  name,^’ 

and  ere  he  finished  the  verse  he  ceased  to  live  on 
earth.  He  was  a man  of  sterling  character,  earnest, 
persevering,  efficient,  yet  being  ardent  in  manner 
he  often  came  in  contact  with  opposing  forces  in  a 
manner  that  sometimes  caused  friction.  He  per- 
formed for  years  noble  pioneer  work. 

The  Elgin  Circuit  was  about  forty  miles  square, 
with  thirty-two  appointments  to  be  filled  every  two 
weeks.  H.  W.  Frink  was  a single  man,  and  boarded 
at  Brother  Filkins's,  at  Wheeling ; J.  M.  Snow  lived 
on  Poplar  Creek,  two  miles  east  of  Elgin.  The  cir- 
cuit embraced  all  the  country  in  Illinois  between 


168 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Fox  River  and  the  lake,  north  of  a line  from  St. 
Charles  to  Chicago. 

The  first  part  of  the  year  they  held  meetings  at 
Solomon  Hamilton's,  one-half  a mile  north-west  of 
Elgin,  on  the  west  side.  The  members  were  Solo- 
mon Hamilton  and  wife ; Harvey  Hamilton  and 
Father  Hamilton's  daughter;  a local  preacher, 
Sherman  by  name,  and  wife,  who  lived  three  miles 
north-west,  whose  daughter  was  Mrs.  Adams,  of 
Beloit,  so  well  known  at  camp  - meetings ; and 
Brother  Todd  and  wife.  In  the  Summer  of  1839 
the  preaching  was  removed  to  the  East  Side.  The 
local  preachers  on  this  circuit  were  John  Nason, 
Caleb  Lamb,  Mark  Noble,  and  Brother  Sherman. 

Brothers  Frink  and  Snow  together  held  a meet- 
ing in  a large  double  house  on  Poplar  Creek,  com- 
mencing March  10,  1839.  The  leader  said  they 
could  have  no  revival  until  the  claim  difficulties 
were  settled.  They  went  to  work,  however,  and 
during  two  weeks  there  were  about  thirty  sound 
conversions.  It  was  a meeting  of  great  power,  old 
and  young  sharing  its  benefits.  They  soon  selected 
a place  near  by  for  a camp-ground,  and  at  once 
dedicated  it  to  God.  The  committee  was  composed 
of  Baptists,  Presbyterians,  and  Methodists.  The 
meeting  commenced  the  23d  June,  and  did  not 
close  until  July  3d.  The  preacher  in  charge  was 
alone  the  first  two  days.  After  this  they  had  plenty 
of  ministerial  help,  the  following  ministers  being 
present : John  Clark,  presiding  elder ; Peter  Borein, 
W.  S.  Crissey,  Frink  and  Snow,  William  Gaddis, 
James  McKean,  S.  P.  Keyes,  L.  S.  Walker,  N.  Jew- 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


169 


ett,  A.  Chenowitli^  Elihu  Springer,  Isaac  Scarritt, 
William  Kimball,  and  Asa  White.  The  weather 
was  bad,  and  most  of  the  services  were  held  in  the 
Chicago  tent,  which  held  three  hundred  persons. 
This  was  the  largest  tent  many  present  had  ever 
seen,  and  was  reported  to  be  a mainsail  from  a Brit- 
ish vessel  taken  in  the  War  of  1812.  Chicago  was 
well  represented  in  the  meeting.  It  was  not  long 
after  the  great  revival  under  Peter  Borein,  who,^^ 
says  H.  W.  Frink,  ^Svas  one  of  the  most  eloquent 
men  I ever  knew.^^  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Garrett,  who  had 
lately  been  converted,  were  present,  and  were  very 
efficient  laborers.  Mr.  Garrett,  with  streaming 
eyes,  would  address  the  large  congregation,  and 
thank  God  for  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  the  doc- 
trines of  Wesley. Over  one  hundred  persons 
spoke  in  the  Sunday  morning  love-feast.  On  Sab- 
bath evening  many  were  the  slain  of  the  Lord. 
The  wicked  fell  as  men  slain  in  battle.  There  were 
during  this  meeting  of  eleven  days  over  one  hun- 
dred conversions,  and  a mission  collection  of  sixty 
dollars  was  taken  at  one  time.  After  this  camp- 
meeting held  on  Poplar  Creek,  the  meetings  in 
Elgin  were  moved  to  a small  frame  chapel  on  the 
East  Side.  They  preached  in  this  for  a short  time, 
and  then  received  notice  to  quit,  when  the  preachers 
went  into  a grove  near  by  to  preach. 

During  the  Summer  of  1839  measures  were  taken 
to  build  a church.  There  was  but  one  church  on  the 
circuit,  and  that  was  a small  frame  at  Mark  Noble^s, 
built  in  1839.  The  Elgin  church  was  completed 

within  a year ; but  it  was  not  more  than  twenty- four 

15 


170 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


by  thirty -two  feet  in  size,  the  same  which,  after 
being  enlarged  once  or  twice,  was  used  till  1866. 

In  1839  John  Nason  and  J.  M.  Snow  were  the 
Elgin  preachers.  John  Nason  came  from  the 
New  England  Conference,  and  joined  the  Illinois 
in  1838.  He  located  in  1843,  and  died  at  Rockford 
in  1865.  The  year  passed  without  any  thing  of 
note  occurring;  but  there  must  have  been  prosper- 
ous times,  for  four  hundred  members  were  reported 
at  conference. 

Rockford  Circuit  appeared  first  in  1838,  with 
L.  S.  Walker  and  Nathan  Jewett  as  the  preachers. 
The  work  included  the  north-western  portion  of  the 
last  yearns  Sycamore  Circuit,  and  extended  from 
Marengo  to  McHenry,  and  from  those  points  to 
Beloit  and  Rockford.  The  appointments  were  at 
Rockford ; at  the  mouth  of  the  Kishwaukie  ; New- 
burg  ; Belvidere  ; Enoch^s ; Roscoe  ; Beloit ; Lin- 
derman’s,  six  miles  east  of  Beloit ; Round  Prairie ; 
Stevenson’s ; Higgins  Settlement  (now  Harvard) ; 
Towers  ; Hisbro’s  (now  Alden)  ; Richmond ; En- 
glish Prairie;  Duffield’s;  Virginia  Settlement; 
Crystal  Lake ; Heats  (now  Belden) ; White’s  Mill ; 
and  Pleasant  Grove  (now  Marengo).  The  meetings 
were  all  held  in  private  houses,  except  at  Rockford, 
Round  Prairie,  and  Crystal  Lake.  They  Avere  so 
far  advanced  in  prosperity  at  these  places  as  to  have 
school-houses  to  worship  in.  The  one  at  Round 
Prairie  was  built  of  poplar  poles,  however. 

In  the  Summer  of  1834  Mr.  Germanicus  Kent 
and  Mr.  Thatcher  Blake,  leaving  Galena,  made 
their  way  from  Hamilton  Higgins  down  the  Peca- 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


171 


tonica  in  some  kind  of  a boat  to  Rock  River,  and 
down  that  river  to  Rockford,  where  they  made 
claims.  They  were  the  first  whites  who  came  to 
Winnebago  County. 

Leaving  the  site  of  the  present  most  beautiful 
city  of  Rockford,  they  went  on  down  the  river  to 
Dixon^s  Ferry,  from  whence  they  returned  to  Ga- 
lena by  the  Wabash  and  Galena  road.  In  the  Fall 
Mr.  Kent  returned  to  Rockford  with  Mr.  Blake 
and  his  negro  man  Lewis,  who  had  formerly  been 
his  slave  in  Alabama.  They  built  a cabin  in  South 
Rockford.  Mr.  David  S.  Haight,  from  Onondaga 
County,  New  York,  arrived  with  his  family.  May 
1,  1835,  and  settled  on  the  East  Side,  near  the 
north-east  corner  of  Main  and  State  Streets.  This 
was  the  first  family  that  settled  in  Rockford,  and 
Mrs.  Haight  was  the  first  white  female  settler  in 
the  country,  probably,  for  fifty  miles.  During  the 
same  month  Mr.  Kent  brought  his  family  to  Rock- 
ford. The  trees  planted  by  Mrs.  Kenf  s hand  are 
still  glowing  (1865).  During  the  Summer  of  1835 
a large  number  of  immigrants  settled  near  the  place. 
The  town  was  at  first  called  Midway,  because  half- 
way between  Galena  and  Chicago.  The  beautiful 
ford  across  a bed  of  rock  finally  gave  it  the  name 
it  bears.  It  was  sometimes  called  Rockriverford.^^ 
The  land  on  which  the  city  stands  was  purchased 
of  the  government  for  fl.25  an  acre  in  1843.  The 
first  store  was  opened  in  1836  by  J.  A.  Vance,  an 
agent  for  Mr.  Taylor,  of  Chicago.  The  first  tavern 
was  opened  by  Henry  Thurston  in  1837.  The  first 
postmaster  was  D.  S.  Haight,  and  the  first  school- 


172 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


teacher  a Miss  Brown.  The  first  public  religious 
services  held  in  Rockford  were  conducted  at  the 
house  of  G.  Kent,  by  his  brother,  Aratus  Kent, 
a Presbyterian  minister,  then  laboring  in  Galena. 
This  occurred  in  June,  1835.  There  was  a congre- 
gation of  seventeen  persons,  all  from  the  families 
of  Mr.  Kent  and  Mr.  Haight.  A few  Methodist  fam- 
ilies arrived  with  the  immigrants  of  1835.  Samuel 
Gregory,  the  first  class-leader,  and  in  whose  house 
the  first  Methodist  society  in  Rockford  was  organ- 
ized, settled  there  in  the  Fall  of  1835,  and  in  June, 
1836,  his  family  came.  Eliphalet  Gregory  arrived 
in  1835,  and  his  family  July  4,  1836.  The  first 
Methodist  preaching  in  the  country  was  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Henry  Enoch,  in  June,  1836,  by  William 
Royal,  who  was  then  on  Fox  River  Mission.  This 
house  had  but  one  room,  and  was  sixteen  by  twenty 
feet  in  size,  and  stood  about  eight  miles  north-east 
of  Rockford.  The  first  sermon  was  in  June,  In 
July  Brother  Royal  came  again.  Samuel  Gregory 
and  wife  went  up  from  Rockford  in  an  ox-wagon, 
to  hear  the  Gospel  by  one  of  their  own  kind  of 
preachers.  After  preaching,  the  preacher  and  all 
his  congregation  took  dinner  together.  This  was 
Sunday.  The  next  day  Brother  Royal  went  to 
Rockford  to  visit  the  Methodists  there.  He  organ- 
ized a class,  consisting  of  Samuel  Gregory,  leader; 
his  wife,  Joanna  Gregory ; Daniel  Beers  and  his 
wife,  Mary  Beers,  who  lived  two  or  three  miles 
east  of  the  river ; and  Mrs.  Mary  Enoch.  This 
occurred  September  2,  1836,  when  Brother  Royal 
was  on  his  last  round  on  his  circuit,  and  on  his 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


173 


way  to  conference.  According  to  the  best  accounts 
we  can  get,  Brother  Royal  never  preached  in  Rock- 
ford. The  organization  just  mentioned  took  place 
in  a log  house  nearly  a mile  east  of  the  river,  near 
the  Galena  Railway.  After  this,  prayer  and  class 
meetings  were  held  every  Sabbath  morning  at 
Samuel  Gregory's,  and  prayer-meetings  in  the  after- 
noon at  Daniel  Beerses.  For  two  years  the  appoint- 
ments were  regularly  filled  by  the  preachers  on 
Sycamore  Circuit,  and  one  of  the  quarterly-meetings 
of  Sycamore  Circuit  was  held  in  a barn  at  Rock- 
ford in  July,  1838.  Stephen  Arnold,  who  went  to 
Sycamore  Circuit  in  1836,  preached  very  seldom  in 
Rockford,  probably  not  more  than  two  or  three 
times,  owing  to  high  water  and  the  fact  that  there 
were  no  bridges.  Whenever  he  did  preach,  it  was 
in  S.  Gregory's  log  house.  The  Congregational 
Church  was  organized  May  5,  1837,  and  the  Baptist, 
December  22,  1838. 

In  1837  William  Gaddis  and  Robert  Lane,  two 
Irishmen,  were  appointed  to  Sycamore  Circuit.  Mr. 
Lane  preached  but  a short  time  when  he  gave  place 
to  L.  S.  Walker,  who  had  been  sent  to  Somanoc. 
During  the  year  a room  was  secured  for  preaching 
in  an  unfinished  house  belonging  to  D.  S.  Haight. 
This  was  in  a large  frame  house  near  Mr.  Haight^s 
original  log  cabin.  It  was  but  a temporary  arrange- 
ment permitted  by  Mr.  Haight  until  his  house  was 
ready  for  occupying.  L.  S.  Walker  says:  ^^I 
preached  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Boswell  in  1838,  his 
house  being  our  chapel  for  the  Summer.  Our  next 
place  of  worship  was  in  a house  used  for  a school. 


174 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


which  stood  near  where  the  American  House  now 
stands.  A parsonage  was  built  this  season,  which 
I moved  into  in  the  Fall  of  1838 — the  second  built 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference.^^  It 
still  stands  on  the  north-west  corner  of  the  Park,  an 
old  low  brown  house.  During  the  year  1838-39 
the  meetings  were  held  in  a building  used  for  a 
court-house,  printing  office,  and  church.  During 
the  year  there  was  prosperity.  In  one  neighbor- 
hood previous  to  May,  1839,  where  there  were  fif- 
teen families,  at  a place  where  three  years  before 
there  was  not  a white  inhabitant,  every  person  over 
ten  years  of  age  found  peace  in  believing.  The 
third  quarterly-meeting  was  held  May  5th  (we  know 
not  where).  They  had  a jubilee,  with  John  Clark, 
presiding  elder,  Peter  R.  Borein,  W.  S.  Crissey, 
and  T.  S.  Hitt  to  aid  in  the  cheerful  work.  Up  to 
May  the  preacher  in  charge  reported  that  he  had 
received  by  letter  and  on  probation  one  hundred 
and  eighty  members,  reporting  at  conference  three 
hundred  and  ninety-five  members.  This  was  a 
large  number,  but  remember  the  circuit  extended 
from  Rockford  to  Fox  River. 

In  1839  the  circuit  was  divided,  leaving  all  the 
appointments  from  Round  Prairie  to  Fox  River  on 
Crystal  Lake  Circuit,  and  from  Beloit  to  Belvidere 
on  Roscoe  Circuit,  and  Rockford  was  made  a half 
station,  with  Nathan  Jewett  as  preacher.  It  was 
not  yet  reduced  to  the  size  of  our  petty  stations, 
for  it  had  at  the  close  of  the  year  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  members.  During  the  Winter  of  1840 
there  was  a gracious  revival  under  N.  Jewett,  and  a 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


175 


large  number  were  added  to  the  Church.  During 
the  Summer  of  1840  a camp-meeting  was  held  three 
miles  east  of  Kockford.  John  Clark  being  at  Gen- 
eral Conference,  Alexander  Irvine  took  charge  of 
the  meeting.  About  one  hundred  persons  were 
converted. 

The  Roscoe  Circuit,  which  was  formed  in  1839 
from  a portion  of  the  Rockford  Circuit,  received 
Milton  Bourne  as  preacher.  The  appointments  dur- 
ing the  year  were  at  Roscoe,  Beloit,  Waterloo, 
Rockton  (then  called  Pecatonica),  Belvidere,  the 
half-way  house  between  Rockford  and  Belvidere, 
Linderman^s,  and  half  a dozen  other  appointments. 

The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Roscoe  began  to 
be  settled  in  1836.  Henry  Abell,  a member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  from  Chautauqua 
County,  New  York,  came  that  year,  he  being  the 
first  Methodist  that  located  in  the  place.  About 
the  same  time  some  three  or  four  others  settled  near 
the  town,  among  whom  were  Franklin  Abell,  Smith 
Jenks,  and  John  Lovesee,  father  of  Rev.  George 
Lovesee.  In  the  Spring  of  1837  Steven  Arnold, 
then  on  Sycamore  Circuit,  went  among  the  settlers 
and  organized  a class.  Smith  Jenks  was  appointed 
leader.  The  second  visit  of  Steven  Arnold  was 
September  3,  1837,  when  he  preached  again,  re- 
ceived additional  members,  and  appointed  Franklin 
Abell,  leader.  Prior  to  this  last  named  visit  Al- 
bert T.  Tuttle,  a local  preacher,  preached  regularly 
to  the  people.  From  September,  1837,  the  place 
was  considered  in  the  bounds  of  the  regular  work. 
The  meetings  were  held  in  the  log  cabins  of  Broth- 


176 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


ers  Abell,  Tuttle,  and  Jenks.  One  of  the  quarterly- 
meetings  of  Sycamore  Circuit  was  held  at  Roscoe, 
November  18,  1837,  which  was  the  first  quarterly- 
meeting held  in  that  part  of  the  country. 

At  Beloit  Brother  Bourne  found  a small  class, 
and  having  a good  revival  during  the  year  he  left 
there  a society  of  twenty  members.  The  class  had 
been  organized  by  L.  S.  Walker  the  year  before. 
When  Brother  Bourne  first  went  on  the  circuit, 
being  a young  man  of  a not  very  assuming  appear- 
ance, an  official  member  (we  believe  belonging  at 
Roscoe)  met  him  and  told  him  he  was  not  such  a 
man  as  they  wanted,  and  he  might  as  well  leave  the 
circuit.  Mr.  Bourne  answered  that  he  was  sent  to 
the  charge  by  the  bishop,  and  he  expected  to  fill 
the  appointments  given  him.  One  year  ended  and 
Brother  Bourne’s  return  being  requested,  he  passed 
two  profitable  years  on  the  work. 

Freeport  gave  name  to  a circuit  in  1838,  and 
had  that  year  James  McKean  and  J.  Gilham  as 
preachers.  Methodism  was  first  introduced  into 
Stephenson  County  by  J.  McKean  in  1835,  when  he 
was  on  the  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit,  and  many  of  the 
present  societies  that  have  existed  from  the  early 
day  were  organized  by  that  faithful  pioneer.  Three 
men  seem  to  have  been  the  organizers  about  the 
time  (1836)  that  the  country  was  permanently  set- 
tled— S.  R.  Beggs,  from  the  lake  to  Fox  River; 
William  Royal,  from  Fox  to  Rock  Rivers;  and  J. 
McKean,  from  Rock  River  West. 

In  the  Fall  of  1835  Mr.  Wad  dam,  the  pioneer 
settler  from  whom  Waddam’s  Grove  took  its  name. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


177 


visited  Dixon  on  business.  He  there  fell  in  with 
James  McKean,  who  had  just  come  on  to  the  Buf- 
falo Grove  Circuit.  In  conversation  Mr.  Waddam 
mentioned  the  name  of  Montague.  After  inquiry 
Mr.  McKean  found  the  Montagues  were  old  ac- 
quaintances of  his,  and  he  immediately  started  oif 
to  visit  them..  He  reached  the  cabin  of  Luman 
Montague  and  received  a hearty  welcome,  because 
both  of  old  acquaintance  and  his  being  a minister 
of  the  Gospel.  There  were  but  three  or  four  fam- 
ilies in  the  neighborhood ; these  were  notified,  and 
Sunday  morning  the  scattered  people  gathered  to 
the  place  appointed  for  preaching.  A number  of 
persons  from  the  mines  were  in  the  grove  hunting, 
who  hearing  of  the  preaching  came  also,  so  that  in 
all  there  were  about  twenty  persons  present.  But 
the  attendance  far  exceeded  the  expectations  of  all 
parties.  To  that  congregation  in  the  log  house  of 
Luman  Montague,  which  was  but  sixteen  feet  square, 
in  November,  1835,  James  McKean  preached  the 
first  sermon  in  the  region  of  country  now  included 
in  Stephenson  County.  The  preacher  was  filled  with 
missionary  fire,  and  the  occasion  was  hailed  as  the 
first  Gospel  day  in  that  part  of  the  frontier. 

Until  the  conference  of  1836  Mr.  McKean  kept 
on  exploring  the  country  around  Freeport,  and  in 
that  year  a circuit  was  formed,  called  Picatolica,^^ 
to  which  Thomas  W.  Pope  was  appointed  as  preacher. 
The  circuit  embraced  all  the  country  from  Rock 
River  to  Galena,  and  extended  north  into  Wiscon- 
sin Territory.  One  of  the  preaching  places  was  at 
the  house  of  a local  preacher  by  the  name  of  Har- 


178 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


courts  or  Haircoat.  Luman  Montague’s,  at  Wad- 
dam’s  Grove,  was  another  preaching  place.  Other 
preaching  places  were  on  Sugar  River,  near  the 
Campbell  settlement,  at  Horace  D.  Colburn’s,  and 
on  Silver  Creek.  Henry  Summers  was  presiding 
elder,  but  could  hardly  collect  enough  to  make  a 
quarterly-meeting,  the  members  were  so  scattered. 
Mr.  Pope  made  about  four  rounds  on  his  circuit  dur- 
ing the  year.  James  McKean  after  serving  on  the 
Buffalo  Grove  work  two  years  went  to  Picatolica 
in  1837.  The  circuit  required  five  hundred  miles 
travel  each  round,  and  it  was  from  thirty  to  forty 
miles  between  some  of  the  appointments.  Mr.  Mc- 
Kean did  not  leave  regular  appointments,  but  would 
go  into  a neighborhood  and  during  the  day  visit 
each  family  and  give  out  meeting  for  the  evening. 
His  rule  was  to  visit  one  day,  preach  at  night,  ride 
next  morning  to  the  next  preaching  place,  visit  and 
preach,  thus  laboring  around  his  work,  publishing 
his  appointments  from  house  to  house.  He  would 
be  from  six  weeks  to  two  months  going  around. 

In  the  Summer  of  1838  Brother  McKean  held  a 
camp-meeting  near  Cedarville,  three  miles  north  of 
Freeport.  John  Crummer,  from  Bellevue,  Iowa, 
B.  Weed,  presiding  elder,  T.  S.  Hitt,  and  Robert 
Delap,  were  present  as  preachers.  The  leading 
members  of  the  mission  were  Luman  Montague, 
Rodney  Montague,  Father  Curtis,  Rev.  F.  D.  Bulkly, 
H.  D.  Colburn,  G.  W.  Clingman,  Levi  Robie,  Eli 
Frankeberger,  and  A.  Goddard.  Mr.  McKean’s 
salary  was  small ; less  than  one  hundred  dollars 
was  received.  In  1838  the  name  of  the  circuit  was 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


179 


changed  to  Freeport,  and  J.  McKean  continued  on  the 
work.  In  1839  Samuel  Pillsbury  was  put  in  charge 
of  the  extensive  work.  In  1839  there  was  but  one 
family  on  the  present  site  of  Freeport;  this  was  the 
family  of  William  Baker.  The  place  was  a very 
small  village  until  the  railroads  reached  it,  when  it  at 
once  sprung  up  into  a thriving  city.  It  was  prob- 
ably laid  out  in  1838,  as  it  gave  name  to  the  cir- 
cuit that  year.  In  1839  Mr.  Pillsbury  and  his 
colleague  preached  at  Freeport,  in  the  house  of  W. 
W.  Buck,  who  was  leader,  and  who  joined  confer- 
ence in  1841 ; at  Robie’s  settlement,  now  Cedar- 
ville,  in  a log  school-house,  where  Isaiah  Clingman 
was  class-leader;  Rock  Grove,  in  Eli  FrankebergePs 
house.  Brother  Wirt,  leader;  at  Spring  Grove,  in 
Thomas  Judkins’s  house,  no  class;  at  Aaron  Baker’s 
house;  Edwin  Smith’s  house,  John  Richey,  leader; 
Dr.  Emory’s  house,  Emory,  leader;  Newman  Camp- 
bell’s house,  where  W.  H.  Bowen  was  leader ; 
at  A.  Crane’s;  Nathan  Varnie’s,  which  two  appoint- 
ments were  moved  to  Durand  in  1857;  at  John 
Mason’s,  near  Harrison ; at  James  Phillips’s;  at  Man- 
chester settlement,  in  a log  school-house,  where 
Isaac  Hance  was  leader;  at  Twelve  Mile  Grove,  in 
the  house  of  R.  Robinson,  who  was  leader ; at  New 
Mexico,  Wisconsin,  sometimes  in  Robert  Delap’s 
house,  sometimes  at  E.  Austin’s;  at  Richland  Tim- 
ber, at  John  Carnes’s  house;  at  Daniel  Harcourt’s; 
at  Union,  in  Boyd  Phelps’s  house;  at  Griffin’s 
Grove;  at  Ballenger’s  settlement,  at  Gaflfin’s  house; 
at  Curtis’s  settlement;  at  Waddam’s  Grove,  in  Lu- 
man  Montague’s  house,  Montague  being  leader;  at 


180 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Willow  Creek,  in  Rev.  H.  Giddings^s  house;  and  at 
Snyder^s  settlement.  The  preachers  preached  almost 
every  day.  Brother  Pillsbury  held  two  camp-meet- 
ings the  first  year  on  this  work,  in  the  Summer  of 
1840.  They  were  most  glorious.  The  first  was  in 
Richland  Timber,  on  Rev.  Daniel  HarcourPs  land. 
It  commenced  about  .the  first  of  July.  One  hun- 
dred were  converted,  and  eighty  joined  the  Church. 
The  preachers  present  were  W.  Wilcox,  T.  S.  Hitt, 
Robert  Delap,  and  B.  Weed.  The  second  meeting 
commenced  about  the  8th  of  August,  in  CampbelPs 
Grove,  near  Durand,  where  there  were  about  as 
many  conversions  as  *at  the  first.  Between  three 
and  four  hundred  were  converted  during  the  two 
years  Brother  Pillsbury  was  on  the  circuit;  among 
the  converts  were  six  or  eight  preachers.  F.  C. 
Winslow,  an  influential  local  preacher  living  for 
many  years  at  Freeport,  John  Hartsough,  Elisha 
Hartsough,  J.  P.  Randolph,  John  Malony,  and  Asa 
Wood,  who  afterwards  traveled  as  a member  of 
conference  in  Wisconsin,  Avere  of  the  number.  The 
circuit  at  this  time  owned  an  old  house  near  Cedar 
Creek,  in  which  Brother  Pillsbury  lived.  In  1840 
there  were  four  hundred  members.  In  1841  R.  A. 
Blanchard  and  A.  M.  Early  were  appointed,  to  the 
Freeport  Circuit.  The  charge  remained  about  the 
same  in  size,  with  several  neAV  appointments.  It 
Avas  a prosperous  year^  there  being  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  conversions. 

There  Avas  a fine  meeting  at  Robie^s  (now  Cedar- 
ville).  A man  lived  near,  by  the  name  of  Edwards, 
Avho  seldom  Avent  to  meeting,  and  Avho,  at  forty  years 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


181 


of  age,  said  he  had  never  prayed  in  his  life.  Him- 
self and  wife  attended  the  meetings  at  Robie^s.  The 
wife  was  soon  converted,  and  pushed  for  her  hus- 
band. He  pushed  her  away,  and  told  her  not  to 
make  a fool  of  herself.  The  next  day  he  was  struck 
under  powerful  conviction,  and  went  alone  to  pray. 
He  would  not  attend  meeting  in  the  evening.  The 
wife  went,  leaving  him  alone ; but  when  it  was 
dark,  he  became  afraid  the  devil  would  have  him 
before  his  wife  returned.  To  stay  at  home  he  dared 
not,  and,  cutting  a club,  set  out  for  the  meeting, 
and  going  into  the  house,  he  seated  himself  within 
eight  feet  of  Brother  Blanchard.  The  text  for  the 
evening  was,  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest  V’  Ed- 
wards arose  to  go  forward,  but  reeled  and  staggered. 
His  eyes  glaring  frightfully,  he  exclaimed,  Dark ! 
dark  and  fell  to  the  floor  in  groans  of  agony. 
The  company  bowed  in  prayer,  and  the  agonizing 
sinner  became  at  first  calm,  and  then  a heavenly 
smile  lit  up  his  countenance.  He  arose  and  said, 
One  thing  I know : whereas  I was  once  blind, 
I now  see.^^  He  remained  faithful  many  years,  and 
then  died. 

Mr.  Blanchard’s  receipts  for  the  year,  when  ev- 
ery thing  was  counted,  amounted  to  fifty  dollars,  of 
which  only  twelve  dollars  was  cash.  He  had  just 
come  from  the  East,  where  he  had  hosts  of  friends, 
and  as  letters  cost  twenty-five  cents  postage,  he  paid 
nine  dollars  postage-bill,  leaving  three  dollars  in 
cash  for  other  purposes.  In  the  Summer  of  1842 
the  lot  on  which  the  Methodist  church  now  stands 
in  Freeport  was  purchased  for  fifteen  dollars.  The 


182 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


prominent  Methodists  in  the  place  then  were  B. 
Thatcher,  Brother  Waddell,  Julius  Smith,  W.  W. 
Buck,  and  H.  Henry,  a local  preacher.  The  preach- 
ers preached  in  the  court-house,  which  was  the  only 
good  preaching-place  on  the  whole  circuit.  Two  or 
three  log  school-houses  were,  however,  erected  about 
this  time,  in  which  were  held  some  of  the  most  pow- 
erful meetings.  In  1843  the  stewards  of  the  Free- 
port Circuit  were  Brothers  Wilcoxon,  G.  W.  Cling- 
man,  Julius  Smith,  and  Peter  Van  Sickle.  The 
first  class  in  Freeport  was  organized  by  S.  Pills- 
bury.  The  members  lived  for  three  miles  around, 
each  way,  and  were  about  ten  in  number.  W.  W. 
Buck  was  the  first  leader.  A church  was  com- 
menced under  direction  of  J.  F.  Devore  in  1852, 
but  was  not  completed  until  1854,  when  Henry 
Whipple  was  on  the  charge.  It  was  dedicated  at  a 
quarterly-meeting  of  which  Luke  Hitchcock  had 
charge.  Silas  Bolles  preached  at  half-past  ten 
o^clock  on  Sunday,  presenting  Christ  as  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Church.  L.  Hitchcock  preached  in  the 
evening  from  Isaiah  lx,  1 : Arise,  shine,  for  thy 

light  is  come.^^  The  indebtedness  was  $2,500,  which 
was  raised  by  subscription  during  the  day.  This 
was  the  29th  of  October,  1854,  that  one  of  the  best 
churches  in  the  conference  was  thus  dedicated  to 
God. 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON. 


183 


CHARXKR  XIII. 

CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON. 

RYSTAL  LAKE,  though  an  unimportant  place, 


gave  a name  to  a new  circuit  in  1839.  It  was 
made  up  of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Rockford 
Circuit  of  the  year  before,  and  included  all  the 
country  from  Fox  River  to  Round  Prairie,  in  Boone 
County,  taking  in  the  Marengo  and  Harmony 
charges.  The  preachers  for  1839  were  L.  S.  Walker 
and  Ora  A.  Walker,  who  was  received  into  confer- 
ence this  year.  The  appointments  were  at  Crystal 
Lake,  where  there  was  a village  and  a school-house ; 
at  Deats^s,  near  where  Franklinville  or  Belden  now 
is ; Pleasant  Grove,  a mile  south  of  where  Marengo 
stands  ; Round  Prairie  ; Harmony ; Virginia  Set- 
tlement, north  of  Woodstock;  Diggins  Settlement, 
a mile  south  of  Harvard ; Queen  Ann  ; and  Mc- 
Henry. The  first  quarterly-meeting  of  the  circuit 
was  held  at  Round  Prairie,  November  4,  1839; 
John  Clark,  presiding  elder ; R.  E.  Streeter,  secre- 
tary. The  amount  allowed  to  each  preacher  was 
two  hundred  and  eighty-two  dollars.  The  mem- 
bers present  were  C.  H.  Staples,  Uriah  Cottle;  Jon- 
athan Manzer,  from  the  Diggins  Settlement,  who 
was  afterwards  a traveling  preacher  among  the  Wes- 
leyans;  William  Deats,  Wesley  Diggins;  J.  Walkup, 


184 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


from  Crystal  Lake  ; R.  K.  Hurd,  of  Round  Prairie; 
and  R.  Latham.  The  receipts  were:  From  Round 
Prairie,  $9.50;  Diggins’s  class,  $2.75,  and  enough 
besides  to  make  up  $17.25,  of  which  L.  S.  Walker 
received  $12.29 ; O.  A.  Walker,  $2.75.  Long  rides 
and  great  pay ! 

The  second  quarterly-meeting  was  held  at  Uriah 
Cottiers,  in  Virginia  Settlement,  January  11,  1840. 

C.  H.  Shapley,  of  Harmony,  was  chosen  steward, 
and  elected  as  recording  steward.  The  receipts  im- 
proved. They  were : Harmony,  $8.87 ; Deats^s, 
$8.50;  Crystal  Lake,  $9.85;  Queen  Ann  (three 
miles  north  of  Woodstock),  $1.00;  Round  Prairie, 
$1.50.  The  third  quarterly-meeting  was  held  at 
Pleasant  Grove,  May  6,  1840.  For  some  reason 
O.  A.  Walker  did  not  continue  the,  year  through, 
and  W.  B.  Cooley,  at  the  third  quarterly-meeting, 
was  engaged  for  the  work.  At  this  meeting  there 
were  receipts  acknowledged  from  Stevenson’s  class, 
which  had  been  formed  near  the  present  county- 
line church,  six  miles  south-west  of  Harvard. 

The  fourth  quarterly-meeting  was  held  in  the 
Diggins  Settlement,  August  14, 1840.  John  Clark, 
presiding  elder,  was  present.  The  licenses  of  J. 
Maxon  and  Orrin  Lewis  were  renewed.  Philander 
Ferry  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  recommended  to 
conference,  but  was  not  admitted.  J.  D.  Maxon 
appealed  to  the  conference  against  a decision  of  a 
class  committee  at  Round  Prairie.  Gibson  Wright,  ^ 
a member  of  the  Church,  appeared  as  complainant. 
The  decision  of  the  committee  was  reversed.  AVm. 

R.  Streeter  also  came  with  an  appeal ; the  same 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON  185 

complainant.  Decision  reversed.  The  charges 
against  both  the  above  were  for  entering  land 
claimed  by  Gibson  Wright^  and  the  record  of  the 
trials^  which  are  before  us  as  we  write,  are  fine  spec- 
imens of  the  claim  quarrels  of  that  early  day. 
Many  a Methodist  class  was  nearly  broken  up  by 
the  disputes  about  land.  The  receipts  for  the  whole 
year  on  this  the  first  year  of  one  of  our  earliest 
and  best  circuits  were : Virginia  Settlement, 

$38.63;  Round  Prairie,  $64;  Harmony,  $13.62; 
Deats’s  class,  $25.48 ; Pleasant  Grove,  $27.37 ; Dig- 
gins  Settlement,  $61.31 ; Stevenson^s,  $6.87  ; Dis- 
bro^s  (Alden),  $10.00;  Columbia  (?),  $12.50;  public 
collections,  $21.32.  Total,  $304.42.  Disbursed  as 
follows:  J.  Clark,  presiding  elder,  $16.16;  L.  S. 
Walker,  $191.62  ; O.  A.  Walker,  $91.00. 

In  1840  O.  A.  Walker  was  the  preacher  in 
charge.  The  first  quarterly-meeting  was  to  have 
been  held  at  Round  Prairie  ; but  as  the  elder  could 
not  find  the  place  no  meeting  was  held. 

The  second  was  held  at  David  Duffield’s,  Janu- 
ary 30,  1841 ; J.  T.  Mitchell,  presiding  elder,  pres- 
ent. Members  present:  O.  A.  Walker,  P.  Ferry, 
and  Orrin  Lewis,  local  preachers ; Uriah  Cottle, 
Leander  H.  Bishop,  William  McConnel,  C.  H. 
Shapley,  stewards  ; Truman  Harvey,  Luther  Finch, 
Josiah  Walkup,  Isaac  H.  Fairchild,  E.  G.  Wood, 
J.  M.  Day,  S.  R.  Morris,  leaders.  Philander  Ferry 
was  engaged  as  supply  to  the  circuit. 

The  third  quarterly-meeting  was  held  at  Mc- 
Henry. Additional  members  present : R.  C.  Hovey, 
leader,  from  Round  Prairie.  J.  D.  Maxon  was  up 
16 


186 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


with  another  appeal  from  Round  Prairie.  He  had 
been  expelled^  but  was  restored  by  the  quarterly 
conference. 

The  fourth,  quarterly-meeting  was  held  in  Vir- 
ginia Settlement,  June  28,  1841.  Members  present: 

O.  A.  Walker,  P.  Ferry,  preachers;  E.  G.  Wood, 
exhorter ; U.  Cottle,  C.  H.  Shapley,  O.  P.  Rogers, 
L.  H.  Bishop,  stewards  ; L.  Finch,  John  Clark,  Geo. 
Crocker,  S.  R.  Morris,  Isaac  H.  Fairchild,  leaders. 

The  receipts  for  the  year  were : J.  T.  Mitchell, 
presiding  elder,  |21.88 ; O.  A.  Walker,  $195.84; 

P.  Ferry,  $60.00  Two  Sunday-schools  were  re- 
ported— one  at  Crystal  Lake,  the  other  at  Pleasant 
Grove,  with  twenty-two  scholars.  The  following 
were  baptized  during  the  year : Sally  P.  Chamber- 
lain,  Eli  Evans,  Emily  Evans,  John  Dickerson, 
William  Knox,  John  Job,  Harriet  Fuller,  Charlotte 
Morris,  adults;  Kancy  M.  Bowman,  Eliza  Ann  Bow- 
man, Elijah  M.  Bowman  (who,  twenty  years  after, 
died  at  Fort  Henry),  Margaret  G.  Duffield,  McKen- 
dree  F.  Bishop,  Frances  A.  Walker,  and  John  W. 
Murphy,  children. 

The  first  quarterly-meeting  after  conference,  in 
1841,  was  held  at  a camp-meeting  at  Pleasant 
Grove,  September  18,  1841.  Thomas  Thorn  is  a 
new  name  on  the  official  list.  E.  G.  Wood  received 
license  to  preach,  and  in  1862  went  to  the  Nazarites. 
Asa  White  and  Nathaniel  Swift  were  the  preachers. 
Elijah  Bowman,  of  Round  Prairie,  was  chosen  a 
steward. 

The  second  quarterly-meeting  was  appointed  at 
Round  Prairie;  but  there  were  not  members  present 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON. 


187 


sufficient  to  hold  a conference.  The  third  was  held 
in  a school-house  in  the  Diggins  Settlement,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1842.  Jonathan  Manzer  was  secretary. 
Among  the  members  present  were  Nathan  Jewett, 
local  deacon,  and  Michael  Decker,  exhorter.  The 
appointments  were  the  same  as  in  1839.  N.  Jewett, 
M.  Decker,  and  Uriah  Cottle  were  appointed  a com- 
mittee to  prepare  a camp-ground  in  Virginia  Set- 
tlement, which  camp-meeting  was  probably  not  held 
there ; but  the  fourth  quarterly-meeting  was  held  at 
a camp-meeting  near  Crystal  Lake,  June  18,  1842. 
Edwin  Brown,  from  Pleasant  Grove,  I.  H.  Fair- 
child,  and  M.  Decker,  from  Virginia  Settlement, 
Avere  present  as  exhorters;  L.  H.  Bishop,  Elijah 
Bowman,  Wesley  Diggins,  stewards;  John  T.  San- 
born, from  Kishwaukie  Prairie,  U.  Cottle,  David 
Barron,  R.  E.  Streeter,  George  Crocker,  S.  R. 
Morris,  and  L.  Finch,  leaders.  M.  Decker  came 
recommended  for  license  to  preach.  The  license 
and  a recommendation  to  conference  were  granted. 
P.  Ferry  was  again  recommended  to  conference, 
but  was  not  admitted.  An  answer  to  a question  is 
given,  that  the  circuit  has  no  real  estate  and  no 
need  of  church  trustees.  A vote  was  passed,  rec- 
ommending Round  Prairie  to  be  attached  to  the 
Roscoe  work.  We  wonder  if  the  conference  was 
tired  of  the  appeals  from  that  quarter.  The  re- 
ceipts for  the  year  were : J.  T.  Mitchell,  |23.85 ; 
Asa  White,  $231.00 ; N.  Swift,  $77.68. 

The  first  quarterly-meeting  for  the  year  1842 
was  held  near  Crystal  Lake,  in  Albro^s  barn,  Sep- 
tember 3,  1842;  S.  H.  Stocking,  presiding  elder; 


188 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


\ 


Asa  White  and  William  Gaddis^  preachers.  The 
second  quarterly-meeting  failed.  The  third  was 
held  at  Cold  Spring  Prairie,  February  18,  1843. 
Solon  and  Oakley’s  appeared  as  new  appointments; 
Round  Prairie  and  Stevenson’s  had  gone  into  the 
Belvidere  Circuit.  The  fourth  quarterly-meeting 
was  held  at  a camp-meeting,  June  10, 1843.  Charles 
McClure  and  Edwin  Brown  were  licensed  to  preach, 
and  McClure  recommended  to  conference.  Four 
Sunday-schools  were  reported  in  operation.  It  was 
recommended  that  Big  Foot  and  Cold  Spring  Prai- 
rie be  set  off  into  a circuit,  to  be  called  Big  Foot. 
The  whole  receipts  for  the  year  were  $232.00. 

In  1843  the  first  quarterly-meeting  was  held  at 
Pleasant  Grove,  October  14,  1843 ; William  Val- 
lette  and  Charles  McClure,  preachers.  The  second 
quarterly-meeting  was  held  at  McHenry,  December 
30th ; the  third  at  a school-house  on  Queen  Ann 
Prairie,  April  13,  1844,  where  a board  of  trustees 
was  appointed,  who  reported  at  the  last  quarterly- 
meeting that  they  had  a deed  of  parsonage  property 
located  at  Crystal  Lake.  The  fourth  quarterly- 
meeting was  held  at  a camp-meeting,  June  22,  1844. 
Edwin  Brown,  from  Pleasant  Grove,  was  recom- 
mended to  conference,  and,  being  received,  he  was 
returned  as  junior  preacher  to  the  circuit  the  next 
year.  The  same  thing  occurred  a year  before  with 
C.  McClure.  The  following  Sunday-school  report 
was  presented : Coral,  30  scholars ; Kishwaukie 
Prairie,  43 ; Queen  Ann,  36 ; Virginia  Settlement, 
40 ; total,  33  officers  and  teachers  and  149  scholars. 
The  appointments  at  this  time  were  Crystal  Lake, 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON 


189 


Coral,  Pleasant  Grove,  English  Prairie,  Virginia 
Settlement,  Deats^s  neighborhood  (called  Albion), 
McHenry,  Queen  Ann,  Best’s,  Simon’s,  and  Solon. 
Diggins  Settlement  had  gone  to  the  Wesleyans  and 
Millerites. 

From  the  conference  of  1844  Levi  Jenks  and 
Edwin  Brown  were  sent  as  preachers.  The  ap- 
pointments remained  the  same  as  last  year. 

Levi  Jenks  had  joined  the  conference  in  1842, 
and  had  been  appointed  to  Dupage  Circuit.  Pre- 
vious to  this  he  was  a citizen  of  Joliet.  In  1843 
he  was  appointed  to  Joliet,  and  in  1845  to  Milford. 
He  located  in  1846  and  settled  at  Aurora.  There 
he  became  a banker,  and  occupied  for  years  a prom- 
inent position  as  a citizen.  He  was  drawn  into  the 
so-called  Nazarite  movement  in  1860,  and  with- 
drawing from  the  Church  some  time  after  united 
his  destiny  with  the  Free  Methodists. 

Edwin  Brown  appeared  as  a member  of  the 
quarterly  conference  on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit,  held 
at  Crystal  Lake,  June,  1842,  in  the  capacity  of  an 
exhorter.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  a year  after, 
and  in  1844  admitted  to  the  Rock  River  Conference. 
Previous  to  this  he  had  been  class-leader  at  Pleas- 
ant Grove.  From  1844  he  has  filled  appointments 
regularly  every  year,  and  he  will  frequently  appear 
in  our  pages.  Crystal  Lake  Circuit  began  in  1840 
with  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  members,  and 
commenced  the  year  1844,  after  losing  much  terri- 
tory with  three  hundred  and  sixty. 

Dixon  Circuit  was  formed  in  1839  from  that 
portion  of  the  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit  lying  east  of 


190 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Rock  River  from  Daysville  to  Lee  Center^  and  was 
supplied  by  Luke  Hitchcock,  who  had  just  come 
from  the  East.  The  appointments  were  at  Dixon, 
Light  House  Point,  Washington  Grove,  and  Lee 
Center.  There  was  a great  revival  during  the 
Winter  of  1840.  Dixon,  the  headquarters  of  this, 
Luke  Hitchcock^s  first  western  circuit,  was  known 
far  and  wide  as  Dixon^s  Ferry  from  1830.  From 
the  time  the  lead  mines  of  Galena  began  to  attract 
attention  teams  from  the  Wabash  River  made  their 
journeys  north,  and  from  Peru  to  Galena  was 
opened  one  of  the  first  roads  in  Northern  Illinois. 
Along  this  road  the  first  settlements  of  the  Rock 
River  country  were  made.  In  1828  a French  and 
Indian  half-breed,  named  Ogee,  built  a cabin  on  the 
present  site  of  Dixon,  and  established  a ferry.  In 
1829  a post-office  was  located  there,  and  one  Gay, 
an  employe  of  Ogee,  was  postmaster.  Previous 
to  1830  Mr.  John  Dixon  carried  the  mail  once  in 
two  weeks  from  Peoria  to  Galena,  and  April  11th, 
1830,  having  purchased  the  claim  to  th-e  ferry,  he 
settled  his  family  at  the  place  to  which  he  has  given 
name,  and  ^^Dixon^s  Ferry  became  one  of  the 
noted  points  of  the  West.  In  the  course  of  time 
^^Dixon^s  Ferry  was  changed  to  Dixon,  and  a 
thriving  town  began  to  beautify  the  rising  banks. 

The  first  appearance  of  Methodists  in  Dixon 
was  in  1836,  when  Mr.  Caleb  Talmadge  and  his 
wife  Amanda  arrived  in  the  place  on  the  13th 
of  May. 

There  were  no  religious  societies  organized,  and 
no  preaching  of  the  Gospel  except  twice  for  many 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON 


191 


months.  Dixon  was  laid  out  as  a town,  but  it 
counted  only  three  log  houses  and  a blacksmith^s 
shop.  One  building  was  a double  house,  built  of 
hewn  logs,  the  upright  part  being  about  seventy 
feet  in  length.  In  this  Mr.  Talmadge  kept  a pub- 
lic house.  In  one  end  of  the  building  was  a store 
with  dry-goods  and  groceries.  The  store  had  all 
the  trade  of  the  surrounding  country  and  the  tavern 
all  the  custom.  Here  often  were  found  intelligent 
and  sometimes  pious  travelers.  Mrs.  Talmadge, 
who  was  a Methodist,  was  ever  looking  out  for  the 
latter.  James  McKean,  who  was  on  the  Buffalo 
Grove  work,  had  an  appointment  at  Dixon  once  in 
seven  weeks.  His  was  all  the  preaching  for  months, 
except  one  sermon  by  Alexander  Irvine.  Mrs. 
Dixon,  wife  of  John  Dixon,  who  gave  name  to  the 
place,  was  a Baptist,  and  a devoted  Christian  woman. 
There  was  also  a Mrs.  Hamilton,  who  was  a Pres- 
byterian. Mr.  Talmadge  and  wife  and  the  two 
named  were  all  that  represented  the  Christian  re- 
ligion in  Dixon  in  1836.  Sickness  in  the  place 
often  brought  the  three  females  together,  when  they 
poured  out  the  troubles  of  their  hearts  to  one 
another. 

In  the  last  days  of  December,  1836,  Mrs.  Tal- 
madge went  over  to  Mrs.  Dixon’s  to  talk  and  pray 
over  the  condition  of  things  in  town.  The  wicked- 
ness around  would  not  let  her  rest.  When  she  met 
Mrs.  Dixon  she  was  preparing  to  visit  Mrs.  Tal- 
madge on  the  same  errand.  As  Mrs.  Dixon  grasped 
Mrs.  Talmadge’s  hand,  she  said:  ^^I  believe  God 
has  sent  you  here.”  They  sat  down  and  talked 


192 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


and  wept  together,  and  spoke  of  the  anxiety  they 
felt  for  others.  Thus  they  passed  the  whole  after- 
noon. Before  they  parted  the  family  was  called 
in,  and  after  a chapter  was  read  they  bowed  in 
prayer. 

Mr.  Talmadge  had  come  in  by  this  time,  and  after 
talking  the  matter  over  they  agreed  to  appoint  a 
meeting  to  be  held  each  Sabbath  at  half-past  ten. 
This  was  on  Thursday*  One  week  from  the  follow- 
ing Sabbath  was  the  first  Sabbath  of  1837.  Mrs. 
Dixon  proposed  that  day  as  the  day  of  commence- 
ment, but  Mrs.  Talmadge  feared  delay,  and  the 
next  Sabbath,  the  last  of  1836,  was  fixed  upon  as 
the  time  of  commencing.  When  the  hour  of  meet- 
ing arrived  the  little  company  of  four  Christians 
met  at  Mrs.  Dixon’s  with  burdened  hearts.  The 
cross  was  heavy.  The  entire  population  assembled, 
and  in  the  company  were  lawyers,  merchants,  doc- 
tors, and  government  officials.  Mr.  Talmadge  was 
a timid  man,  and  left  the  heft  of  the  burden  to  the 
women.  Mrs.  Dixon  read  a chapter,  a hymn  was 
sung,  and  prayer  and  speaking  followed.  Mrs. 
Talmadge,  especially,  had  liberty  that  day.  She 
spoke  of  what  God  had  done  for  her,  and  of  the 
need  the  community  had  of  religion.  The  congre- 
gation was  solemn  and  in  tears.  Mrs.  Dixon’s  son 
and  wife  set  out  that  day  to  seek  a pardon  of  sin. 
Nor  did  they  seek  in  vain.  The  son  died  in  the 
faith  and  the  wife  was  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Church  as  late  as  1865.  These  meetings  were  con- 
tinued every  Sabbath  until  Spring.  During  the 
Winter  they  had  had  but  two  sermons.  The  meet- 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON. 


193 


ings  were  of  so  much  interest  the  fire  spread  to 
other  neighborhoods.  Some  came  eight  or  nine 
miles  in  the  coldest  of  weather  to  be  at  the  Dixon 
prayer-meetings.  Almost  every  Sabbath  persons 
would  be  present  from  nine  or  ten  miles  away,  and 
their  houses  were  crowded.  The  citizens  instead 
of  opposing  did  all  they  could  to  encourage  the 
meetings. 

About  the  first  of  May,  1837,  a class  of  eleven 
members  was  organized.  The  members  were  Caleb 
and  Amanda  Talmadge,  John  Richards,  Ann  Rich- 
ards, Maria  McClure,  Israel  Chamberlain,  Mr.  Mc- 
Cabe and  wife,  and  Samuel  Bowman  and  Eliza,  his 
wife.  A Sunday-school,  with  Samuel  Bowman  as 
superintendent,  was  organized  in  June,  1837.  The 
first  quarterly-meeting  was  held  in  the  Summer  of 
1837.  Isaac  Pool  and  Robert  Delap  were  the 
preachers,  Henry  Summers,  the  presiding  elder. 
The  quarterly  conference  was  held  in  Mr.  Tal- 
madge’s  bar-room. 

Brother  Hitchcock  was  continued  at  Dixon  in 

1840,  but  during  the  Winter  of  1841  the  trustees 
of  Rock  River  Seminary  appointed  him  agent  of 
that  institution,  and  R.  A.  Blanchard  was  remo":''d 
from  the  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit  to  fill  Mr.  Hitcn- 
cock^s  place  at  Dixon.  During  the  Summer  of 

1841,  at  the  last  quarterly-meeting  of  the  year  held 
at  Lighthouse,  a revival  meeting  began,  which 
lasted  just  one  week,  and  resulted  in  the  conversion 
of  sixty  souls.  During  this  meeting  two  horse 
thieves,  Driscol  by  name,  were  shot  near  the  Light- 
house church  by  a company  of  settlers. 


194 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Until  1840  the  Methodists  worshiped  at  Dixon 
in  the  school-house.  At  this  time  a small  church 
was  commenced,  which  was  dedicated  in  1843  by 
John  T.  Mitchell,  and  in  1856  the  society  was 
worshiping  in  this  old  rough-looking  edifice.  At 
that  time,  Wilbur  McKaig  being  pastor,  a new  and 
commodious  church  was  built  of  brick  forty-five  by 
seventy-five  feet  in  size,  and  was  dedicated  by  Mr. 
McKaig  March  1,  1857,  The  church,  like  many 
others,  has  since  been  burdened  with  debt,  but 
through  ups  and  downs,  some  of  them  peculiar  to 
Dixon,  the  society  is  striving  to  maintain  an  hon- 
orable and  prosperous  existence. 

Our  present  half  decade  closes  in  1840  with 
twenty  different  charges,  and  three  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fourteen  members,  with  humble 
churches  at  Chicago,  Galena,  Washington  Grove, 
Joliet,  Plainfield,  Elgin,  and  North  Branch  Chicago 
River.  For  the  districts  and  presiding  elders  of 
this  period  see  the  appointments  given  at  the  com- 
mencement. 

Among  the  elders  were  Wilder  B.  Mack, 
a most  popular  preacher  in  Vermont,  Ohio,  and 
Illinois,  who  in  1836  fell  into  sin  and  was  ex- 
pelled; Bartholomew  Weed,  one  of  the  most 
active  members  of  the  first  conference,  and  a lead- 
ing delegate  to  General  Conference  in  1844,  who 
came  from  the  New  Jersey  Conference  in  1837,  and 
returned  (from  Iowa)  to  the  Newark  Conference  in 
1845,  and  who  died  a few  years  ago;  Alfred 
Brunson,  who  was  admitted  into  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence in  1820  and  appointed  to  Chautauqua,  and  who 


CRYSTAL  LAKE  AND  DIXON 


195 


was  preacher  at  Detroit  in  1822,  at  Cleveland  in 
1832,  Alleghany  City,  1833,  and  who,  in  1835,  trans- 
ferred to  Illinois  Conference,  and  was  appointed 
elder  on  Galena  District  and  missionary  to  Indians 
on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  who  died  about  1880. 


196 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAF>TER  XIV. 

FIRST  SESSION  OF  BOCK  RIVER  CONFERENCE. 

E now  come  to  the  most  noted  epoch  of  our 


worthy  history.  The  first  session  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference  marks  an  era  in  our  history  more 
distinct  than  commonly  occurs.  At  the  session  of 
tlie  Illinois  Conference  in  Bloomington,  in  1839 — 
the  most  northerly  session  ever  held  in  the  North- 
west up  to  that  time— provision  was  made  for  the 
division  of  the  conference.  The  Illinois  Conference 
included  the  State  of  Illinois  and  the  territory  west 
and  north  of  the  present  Central  Illinois  and  Rock 
River  Conferences,  as  far  as  the  white  man  had  gone. 
There  were  already  appointments  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi in  Iowa,  and  as  far  north  as  Green  Bay  and 
Fort  Winnebago  in  Wisconsin. 

The  General  Conference  of  May,  1840,  con- 
summated the  division,  setting  off  that  part  of  the 
work  north  of  the  Kankakee  and  Illinois  Rivers 
with  all  Iowa  and  Wisconsin  into  the  new  confer- 
ence. The  southern  line  was  nearly  identical  with 
the  present  boundary  between  the  Rock  River  and 
the  Central  Illinois  Conferences.  It  sometimes 
seems  to  us  of  a later  day  that  the  name  was  not 
fitly  chosen,  but  if  we  look  for  any  other  name  we 
can  find  none  appropriate.  Northern  Illinois  would 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION. 


197 


be  more  fitting  now ; but  the  conference  embracing 
Iowa  and  Wisconsin,  it  was  not  a proper  name  in 
1840.  The  new  conference  found  its  best  circuits 
along  the  beautiful  prairies  of  Rock  River ; and  that 
country  being  the  center  of  operations  then  in 
Northern  Illinois,  the  conference  received  its  pres- 
ent honored  name.  Methodism  had  its  first  and 
greatest  successes  along  Rock  River,  and  there  the 
third  church  of  the  country  was  built,  there  the 
largest  and  best  societies  were  organized,  and,  since 
Mt.  Morris  had  been  fixed  upon  as  the  site  of  the 
new  conference  seminary,  the  conference  was  ap- 
pointed to  be  held  at  that  place ; and  when  it  finally 
met,  it  was  the  first  session  of  such  a body  north  of 
Bloomington. 

The  Rock  River  Conference  began  its  first 
session  at  Mt.  Morris,  August  26,  1840.  The  vil- 
lage was  just  laid  out,  and  there  were  but  one  or 
two  buildings  on  the  site.  The  conference  was  held 
in  connection  with  a camp-meeting,  on  Pine  Creek, 
on  the  farm  of  T.  S.  Hitt,  who  was  a member  of 
the  conference,  a mile  and  a half  north-west  of  the 
present  seminary  buildings.  The  sessions  were  held 
in  a log  building,  some  distance  from  the  camp- 
ground. Bishop  Waugh  presided.  He  opened  the 
session  with  remarks  on  the  importance  of  begin- 
ning right  in  organizing  a new  conference,  and  the 
necessity  of  keeping  in  this  very  important  field  an 
active,  zealous,  and  spiritual  ministry,  and  the  care 
necessary  to  employ  such  men  only  as  God  had 
called  into  the  work,  or  who  believe  they  are  truly 
called  of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel. 


198 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


The  names  of  those  who  were  to  be  considered 
members  of  the  conference  were  called,  when  the 
following  members  appeared,  and  took  their  seats : 
Washington  Wilcox,  Benjamin  T.  Kavanaiigh,  Sal- 
mon Stebbins,  James  McKean,  Sophronius  H.  Stock- 
ing, John  Sinclair,  Wesley  Batcheller,  H.  W.  Reed, 
Julius  Field,  Stephen  P.  Keyes,  John  Clark,  Lean- 
der  S.  Walker,  Wellington  Weigley,  Robert  Delap, 
Hiram  W.  Frink,  Thomas  M.  Kirkpatrick,  Francis 
A.  Chenowith,  Isaac  I.  Stewart,  William  Simpson, 
John  Crummer,  Samuel  Pillsbury,  Elihu  Springer, 
Henry  Summers,  Rufus  Lummery. 

B.  T.  Kavanaugh  was  chosen  secretary ; H.  W. 
Reed,  assistant.  Neither  of  these  ever  had  work  in 
the  bounds  of  Rock  River  Conference.  H.  W. 
Reed  has  been  from  that  time  to  this  an  effective 
minister  in  Iowa.  B.  T.  Kavanaugh,  while  con- 
nected with  the  conference,  was  on  districts  in  Wis- 
consin. He  is  a brother  of  the  late  Hubbard  H. 
Kavanaugh,  one  of  the  bishops  of  the  South  Church. 
He  located  in  1846,  studied  medicine,  traveled  as 
temperance  lecturer  and  as  Bible  agent,  and  is  still 
living,  in  Kentucky.  The  business  of  the  confer- 
ence went  on  in  the  usual  form,  with  nothing  of 
peculiar  interest. 

The  Rock  River  Seminary,  the  building  of 
which  was  just  commenced,  found  a warm  place  in 
the  preachers’  hearts,  many  of  them,  in  those  days 
of  poor  pay,  subscribing  for  hundred-dollar  schol- 
arships. The  following  persons  were  received  on 
trial  into  the  traveling  connection : P.  S.  Richard- 
son, C.  N.  Wager,  Henry  Hubbard,  N.  Swift,  L.  F. 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION. 


199 


Molthrop,  W.  B.  Cooley,  Sidney  Wood,  Asa  White, 
M.  F.  Shinn,  H.  P.  Chase,  D.  Worthington,  H. 
Whitehead,  James  Ash,  R.  A.  Blanchard,  A.  M. 
Early,  E.  P.  Wood,  C.  Campbell,  Philo  Judson. 
Caleb  Lamb  was  readmitted,  and  several  came  to 
the  conference  by  transfer.  J.  T.  Mitchell,  Hooper 
Crews,  and  Asa  McMurtry  were  transferred  a month 
later,  at  the  session  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  and 
were  really  not  members  at  the  first  session,  and 
probably  not  present.  There  were  two  Indians  pres- 
ent as  probationary  members,  from  the  Lake  Supe- 
rior region,  both  of  whom  had  been  John  Clarkes 
assistants  in  1834.  They  were  George  Cop  way, 
whose  Indian  name  was  Kahkahgebow,  and  H.  P. 
Chase.  On  Sunday  afternoon  H.  P.  Chase  preached 
one  of  the  most  moving  missionary  sermons  it  is  the 
privilege  of  conference  members  to  hear.  Among 
other  figurative  allusions,  he  undertook  to  illustrate 
the  spreading  of  Methodism. 

Men  of  science,^^  he  said,  so  far  as  I know, 
have  never  been  able  to  make  water  run  up-stream ; 
but  Methodism  has  accomplished  it,  causing  the 
waters  of  salvation  to  flow  up  the  Mississippi,  even 
to  Lake  Superior.  The  beavers  build  their  dams 
and  form  their  colonies,  and  when  the  colonies  be- 
come overgrown  the  head-beaver  sets  out  up-stream 
on  an  exploring  trip,  to  search  out  a place  for  a new 
dam.  Returning,  he  takes  a few  bold  ones  with 
him,  and  they  build  a new  dam  and  form  a new  col- 
ony. So  the  Methodists  came  over  the  Ohio  River, 
and  went  up  the  Mississippi,  causing  the  waters  of 
salvation  to  flow  to  Galena  and  to  Prairie  du  Chien. 


200 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


A colony  was  formed  many  years  ago  in  Illinois. 
The  Illinois  Conference  colony  has  carried  on  the 
work.  The  waters  flowed  up  the  Illinois  River  to 
Ottawa  and  Chicago,  up  Fox  River  to  Big  Woods, 
to  St.  Charles,  to  Elgin,  and  ran  over  the  banks  to 
the  country  east  and  west.  They  flowed  up  Rock 
River  to  Dixon  and  Buffalo  Grove ; and  now,^^  said 
the  eloquent  Indian,  pointing  to  Bishop  Waugh, 
the  big  beaver,  the  bishop,  has  come  here  on  Pine 
Creek  to  form  another  colony  that  will  possess  the 
land.  And,  thank  God,  these  waters  ot  life  have 
rolled  on  to  the  Upper  Mississippi,  to  Lake  Su- 
perior, and  lo,  the  poor  Indian  is  drinking  of  the 
stream 

During  all  this  pathetic  recital  the  people  laughed 
and  wept  at  the  same  time,  and  the  shouts  of  praise 
for  the  blessings  of  an  abounding  Gospel  rose  high 
and  wild  and  joyful  from  the  very  souls  of  the 
early  settlers  gathered  there. 

Since  this  is  the  first  conference,  we  give  the  ap- 
pointments of  1840  entire;  but  after  this  shall  not, 
to  any  great  extent,  cumber  our  pages  with  ap- 
pointments. 

Chicago  District  : J.  T.  Mitchell^  P.  E. — Chi- 
cago, H.  Crews;  Lake,  William  Gaddis;  Wheeling, 
J.  Nason ; Elgin,  S.  Bolles ; Crystalville,  O.  A. 
Walker;  Roscoe  and  Belvidere,  M.  Bourne;  Rock- 
ford, S.  H.  Stocking;  Sycamore,  L.  S.  Walker,  N. 
Swift ; Dupage,  William  Kimball ; Naperville,  C. 
Lamb. 

Ottawa  District  : J.  Sinclair , P.  E. — Ottawa, 
J.  L.  Bennett;  Milford,  E.  Springer;  Wilmington, 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION 


201 


R.  Lummery;  Juliet,  W.  Weigley;  Lockport,  W. 
Batchellor  ; Indian  Creek,  Asa  White ; Princeton, 
J.  M.  Snow,  Bristol,  H.  Hadley. 

Mr.  Morris  District  : J.  Clark,  P.  E, — Buffalo 
Grove,  A.  McMurtry,  R.  A.  Blanchard ; Dixon, 
supplied;  Portland,  William  Vallette ; Stevenson, 
C.  N.  Wager;  Savannah,  P.  Judson ; Galena,  J.  W. 
Whipple;  Apple  River,  E.  P.  Wood;  Freeport,  S. 
Pillsbury,  R.  Brown;  T.  S.  Hitt,  agent  for  Rock 
River  Seminary. 

Burlington  District:  H.  Summers,  P.  E, — 
Burlington,  I.  I.  Stewart;  Mt.  Pleasant,  T.  M. 
Kirkpatrick;  Richland,  M.  F.  Shinn;  Fox  River 
Mission,  N.  Smith ; Philadelphia,  J.  Arrington ; 
Fort  Madison,  M.  H.  McMurtry,  W.  B.  Cooley; 
Bloomington,  N.  Jewett ; Crawfordsville,  J.  L. 
Kirkpatrick. 

Iowa  District  : P.  Weed,  P.  E. — Iowa,  G.  G. 
Worthington;  Rockingham,  C.  Campbell;  Coman- 
che, B.  H.  Cartwright ; Marion,  J.  Hodges ; Belle- 
vue, P.  S.  Richardson;  Clarksville,  H.  Hubbard; 
Dubuque,  W.  Wilcox. 

Indian  Mission  District  : P.  T.  Kavanaugh, 
Superintendent — St.  Peter^s  and  Sioux  Mission,  D. 
King ; Chippewa  Mission,  H.  J.  Brace,  George  Cop- 
way, H.  P.  Chase,  A.  Huddleson,  J.  Johnson  ; 
Sandy  Lake,  S.  Spates. 

Prattville  District:  H.  W.  Reed,  P.  E. — 
Plattville,  supplied ; Lancaster  and  Prairie  du  Chien, 
W.  Simpson,  A.  M.  Early ; Mineral  Point  and  Wy- 
ota,  J.  G.  Whitford ; Monroe,  J.  Ash  ; Madison, 
supplied;  Fort  Winnebago,  S.  P.  Keyes;  Fon  du 


202 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Lac,  J.  Halsted ; Green  Bay,  supplied ; Oneida  Mis- 
sion, H.  R.  Coleman. 

Milwaukee  District:  Julius  Field,  P.  E. — 
Milwaukee,  J.  Crummer ; Racine,  L.  F.  Molthrop ; 
Root  River,  H.  Whitehead ; Southport  Mission,  S. 
Stebbins;  Burlington  and  Rochester,  D.  Worthing- 
ton; Troy,  J.  McKean;  Watertown,  Sidney  Wood; 
Summit,  H.  W.  Frink;  A.  F.  Rogers,  transferred 
to  Illinois  Conference. 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  were  sixty-one  charges, 
to  which  seventy-four  preachers  were  appointed  from 
the  conference,  with  eleven  places  to  be  supplied,^^ 
in  full  or  in  part.  Twenty-six  of  these  charges  were 
in  our  present  bounds,  with  thirty-two  preachers. 
There  were  seventeen  preachers  in  Wisconsin,  and 
eighteen  in  Iowa,  not  counting  the  Indian  mission- 
aries. The  following  conferences  are  direct  out- 
growths of  this  first  Rock  River  Conference : Wis- 
consin, West  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Upper 
Iowa,  and  Des  Moines.  There  is  also  a large  Ger- 
man conference  on  the  same  ground.  Among  the 
appointments  is  T.  S.  Hitt,  agent  for  Rock  River 
Seminary;  the  same  appointment  appeared  in  1839. 

Though  the  Methodists  have  always  preached  to 
learned  and  unlearned,  and  although  many  of  the 
preachers  have  lacked  educational  advantages,  at 
the  same  time  the  Church  has  ever  been  forward  to 
establish  institutions  of  learning.  Four  million 
dollars  were  raised  in  the  Centenary  year  for  edu- 
cational purposes.  The  corner-stone  of  a college 
was  laid  at  Abingdon,  Maryland,  twenty-five  miles 
from  Baltimore,  June  5,  1778,  just  five  years  after 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION  203 

the  first  conference,  and  twenty  years  after  the 
first  society  was  organized.  It  was  called,  from 
Coke  and  Asbury,  Cokesbury  College.  It  en- 
joyed, during  its  ten  years’  existence,  an  extensive 
fame;  but  in  1795  it  was  burned  to  the  ground. 
Asbury,  somewhat  discouraged,  wrote  : The  Lord 

called  not  Mr.  Whitefield  nor  the  Methodists  to 
build  colleges.”  It  was  not  long  after  rebuilt,  and 
the  second  time  destroyed  by  fire.  Whether  cor- 
rect or  not,  the  Church  now  conceived  that  Provi- 
dence did  not  intend  that  the  Methodists  should 
spend  their  time  in  establishing  schools.  But 
Methodism  was  born  in  Oxford  College,  and  it 
could  not  be  that  this  growing  Church  should  ig- 
nore education.  Early  in  the  present  century  there 
began  to  be  movements  toward  establishing  institu- 
tions of  learning.  The  Maine  Wesleyan  Seminary 
was  founded  at  Readfield  in  1823;  the  Wesleyan 
Academy  at  Wilbraham  and  the  Oneida  Conference 
Seminary  at  Cazenovia  were  founded  in  1824.  Be- 
fore 1839  the  Amenia  Seminary  in  New  York,  the 
Falley  Seminary  at  Fulton,  the  Genesee  Wesleyan 
Seminary  at  Lima,  Gouverneur  Seminary,  Prepara- 
tory Institute  at  Middletown,  Newbury,  Ripley  Fe- 
male College,  Springfield  Academy,  and  the  Wil- 
mington Collegiate  Institute  were  all  in  operation, 
as  were  also  the  Indiana  Asbury  University,  Mc- 
Kendree  College,  and  the  Wesleyan  University. 
McKendree  College,  then  just  struggling  into  life, 
was  the  only  Methodist  institution  in  Illinois  in 
1839 ; and  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference as  late  as  1850  there  was  no  institution 


204 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


above  a common  select  school,  save  alone  the  old 
and  honorable  Rock  River  Seminary.  A detailed 
history  of  all  the  ups  and  downs  of  this  institution, 
its  debts  and  its  clouds,  its  revivals  and  its  days  of 
sunshine,  would  occupy  the  pages  of  a volume  rather 
than  a chapter,  and  can  therefore  have  but  little 
attention.  The  Illinois  Conference  of  1838  ap- 
pointed a committee  to  fix  the  location  of  a semi- 
nary in  Northern  Illinois,  consisting  of  John  Clark, 
Peter  R.  Borein,  L.  S.  Walker,  W.  S.  Crissey,  and 
T.  S.  Hitt.  The  committee  met  at  John  Clarkes 
log  cabin  on  Fox  River,  in  March,  1839,  when 
Joliet,  St.  Charles,  Geneva,  Elgin,  Rockford,  Ros- 
coe,  Kishwaukie,  and  Maryland  Colony  were  pro- 
posed. These  places  were  invited  to  enter  into 
competition,  making  offers  to  the  committee.  The 
committee  met  again  in  May.  Roscoe,  Kishwaukie, 
and  the  Maryland  Colony  alone  made  offers.  Roscoe 
offered  a subscription  of  $2,000,  and  town-lots  and 
lands,  which  they  valued  at  $5,000;  Kishwaukie 
made  about  the  same  offer.  Maryland  Settlement 
offered  a subscription  of  $8,000,  indorsed  by  three 
of  the  principal  men,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land,  which  they  bound  themselves  to  deed 
to  the  trustees  when  it  came  into  market.  The  last 
named  place  was  selected  by  the  committee  as  the 
place  of  location,  and  when  the  trustees  met  to  lay 
out  the  village  John  Clark  proposed  to  call  the 
place  Mt.  Morris,  after  the  most  popular  bishop  of 
that  time,  and  that  name  has  been  on  Rock  River 
Conference  records  ever  since.  Mt.  Morris,  which 
is  situated  on  a high  prairie,  overlooking  the  coun- 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION. 


205 


try  for  sixteen  miles  in  almost  every  direction,  and 
its  vicinity,  was  settled  as  early  as  1837  by  people 
from  Washington  County,  Maryland,  led  to  the 
place  by  N.  Swingley  and  Samuel  M.  Hitt.  The 
settlers  were  numerous  enough  to  have  regular 
preaching  and  a good  school  in  1838.  A traveler, 
passing  through  the  settlement  in  August,  1838, 
says  the  people  were  talking  of  a seminary.  At  the 
conference  of  1839  T.  S.  Hitt  was  appointed  agent. 
In  1840  the  venerable  building,  which  stood  alone 
till  1851,  was  erected.  It  was  of  stone,  thirty-six 
by  seventy-five  feet  in  size,  and  three  stories  high. 
Six  months  before  the  building  was  used,  J.  N. 
Waggoner,  for  many  years  afterward  bookseller  at 
Galena,  taught  classes  in  a small  log  building.  Pro- 
fessor D.  J.  Pinckney,  who  had  been  educated  at 
Lima,  New  York,  was  chosen  principal  in  1842,  and 
entering  upon  his  work,  was  at  once  popular,  mak- 
ing a name  for  himself  and  the  seminary  all  through 
the  country.  He  was  then  one  of  th^  most  eloquent 
preachers  of  the  West.  He  was  a genius,  if  there 
be  such  a being,  who  by  intuition  evolved  great 
thoughts,  and  swept  the  skies  with  mellifluous 
tropes.  With  the  faith  and  devotion  of  a Simpson, 
we  know  no  reason  why  he  might  not  have  melted 
to  tears  national  audiences.  In  1847  he  retired  to 
his  farm  near  by,  and  there  continued  to  reside, 
being  elected  now  and  then  to  some  office  in  the 
State,  that  served  to  bring  out  his  reserved  and  la- 
tent powers.  He  died  about  1882.  Professor  S.  R. 
Thorp  was  principal  for  a year,  and  was  succeeded 
in  1847  by  C.  C.  Olds ; he  by  Professor  Mattison  . 


206 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  S.  M.  Fellows.  In  1855  W.  T.  Harlow  came^ 
and  for  ten  years  guided  the  affairs  of  the  institu- 
tion. Debts  have  been  a burden  upon  the  institu- 
tion from  the  beginning,  and  in  1861  it  was  sold  to 
pay  its  indebtedness.  A stock  company  was  formed, 
with  Professor  Harlow  at  its  head,  who  repurchased 
the  property,  and  for  a time  it  was  really  under  in- 
dividual control,  though  under  conference  influence 
and  patronage.  But  in  1876  it  passed  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Church.  Long  may  its  walls  stand 
emblems  of  its  moral  power ! 

Many  of  the  best  ministers  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference  received  their  education  at  this  seminary. 
When,  in  1846,  we  had  fully  decided  to  become  a 
Methodist  preacher,  and  desired  to  enter  upon 
higher  studies  than  those  taught  in  the  public 
schools  of  the  city  of  our  home,  we  could  find  in 
all  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference  no 
school  of  higher  grade  than  the  public  schools,  ex- 
cepting select  schools,  taught  here  and  there  during 
Winter  months,  save  alone  the  Rock  River  Semi- 
nary, founded  by  the  pioneer  Methodist  preachers. 
In  no  other  place  in  the  bounds  of  our  conference 
could  we  study  Greek  or  Latin,  rhetoric  or  algebra, 
logic  or  mental  philosophy.  But  out  there  on  the 
prairie,  which  seemed  the  termination  of  the  Great 
West,  we  found  a school  of  high  grade,  to  which 
aspiring  students  from  a hundred  miles  around  gath- 
ered to  prepare  for  noble  action.  And  few  realize 
what  an  influence  for  good  the  old  seminary, 
founded  by  the  money  and  toil  of  our  early  mem- 
bers and  itinerants,  has  had  throughout  the  North- 


FIRST  CONFERENCE  SESSION 


207 


west,  through  her  intelligent  sons  and  daughters. 
At  the  conference  in  1840  twenty-five  preachers 
subscribed  for  one-hundred-dollar  scholarships.  The 
seminary  introduced  at  first  the  manual-labor  sys- 
tem, so  popular  in  that  day;  but,  as  in  almost  all 
other  instances,  it  proved  a failure.  Old  Rock 
River  Seminary,  mother  of  seminaries  and  of  men, 
stands  not  alone  to-day,  but  none  stands  with  more 
honor.  Around  no  other  institution  in  the  West 
cluster  such  ardent  memories.  Men  of  note  have 
linked  their  names  to  the  institution  as  teachers,  and 
her  students  occupy  honorable  positions  in  all  parts 
of  the  land.  The  rising  schools  at  Evanston  and 
Aurora  shall  never  dethrone  the  venerable  alma 
mater  from  the  affections  of  her  children.  Among 
teachers  whose  names  will  live,  besides  those  men- 
tioned already,  are  Miss  Russel,  S.  M.  Fellows,  Miss 
E.  V.  Mitchell,  Miss  Olin,  W.  S.  Pope,  and  others; 
and  among  students  are  General  W.  H.  Wallace, 
slain  at  Pittsburg  Landing ; H.  L.,  James  N.,  and 
J.  W.  Martin,  D.  W.  Linn,  S.  G.  Havermale,  D.  J. 
Holmes,  M.  L.  Reed,  A.  D.  Field,  W.  P.  Jones, 
J.  T.  Hannah,  Henry  Whipple,  T.  H.  Hagerty, 
John  A.  Gray,  F.  D.  Corwin,  and  Bishop  C.  H. 
Fowler. 


208 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

NEW  CHARGES  OF  1840. 

MONG  the  new  charges  appearing  in  1840  was 


Belvidere.  It  was,  however,  yet  in  connec- 
tion with  Roscoe  Circuit ; but  the  next  year  it  ap- 
peared independent,  and  has  since  become  one  of 
our  most  pleasant  stations.  The  first  settlements 
commenced  in  Belvidere  in  1835.  In  June,  1836, 
the  first  sermon  was  preached  in  Mr.  CaswelPs 
house  by  William  Royal,  who  was  at  that  time  on 
Fox  River  Mission.  Brother  Royal,  it  will  be  rec- 
ollected, set  out  in  the  Spring  of  1836  forming 
classes  and  establishing  appointments  from  Elgin 
to  Rockford,  visiting  Pleasant  Grove,  Belvidere, 
Enoch^s,  Roscoe,  and  Rockford.  Stephen  Arnold, 
who  was  sent  to  the  newly  formed  Sycamore  Circuit 
in  1836,  kept  up  the  appointment  at  Belvidere;  but 
a class  was  not  organized  until  September  24,  1837, 
three  days  before  the  session  of  the  conference  that 
year.  William  Gaddis,  the  assistant  preacher  on 
the  circuit,  received  the  members  of  the  first  class 
into  the  Church.  There  were  thirteen  names  to 
begin  with,  a much  larger  number  than  were  usually 
found  at  the  first  forming  of  a class  in  that  day. 
Brother  Gaddis  preached  at  the  time  from  Isaiah 
i,  18 : Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,’^  etc. 


NEW  CHARGES. 


209 


James  McBride  was  appointed  leader.  The  other 
members,  as  far  as  known,  were  the  leader^s  wife ; 
Brother  Evans,  wife,  and  sister;  Milton  S.  Mason, 
his  wife  Mary  Mason,  and  her  sister ; Enos  Rari- 
dan,  William  Dresser,  and  Ransom  Gool. 

The  Baptist  Church  was  organized  with  thirteen 
members  July  31,  1836.  Belvidere  was  on  Syca- 
more Circuit  until  the  conference  of  1838,  when  it 
was  on  the  Rockford  Circuit,  and  in  1839,  1840, 
and  1841  it  was  an  appointment  on  Roscoe  Circuit. 
The  preachers  were,  1837,  L.  S.  Walker  and  Wm. 
Gaddis ; 1838,  L.  S.  Walker  and  N.  Jewett;  1839-40, 
Milton  Bourne;  1841,  James  McKean.  A meeting 
was  held  in  the  village  the  last  day  of  the  year, 
1837,  at  the  house  of  James  McBride,  which  ended 
with  a watch-night  meeting.  There  were  three 
preachers  present.  There  was  preaching  at  eleven 
o’clock  in  the  morning  by  Mr.  Lane,  an  Irishman, 
who  supplied  the  work  for  a time,  after  which  there 
was  class-meeting.  William  Gaddis  preached  in 
the  evening,  taking  for  his  text^  There  is  but  a 
step  betwixt  me  and  death.”  A prayer-meeting 
followed,  after  which,  at  ten  o’clock,  there  was 
preaching  by  Nathan  Jewett.  The  meeting  ended 
at  midnight,  and  altogether  it  was  a time  of  rejoic- 
ing to  the  new  settlers. 

April  27,  1838,  the  third  quarterly-meeting  for 
the  year  on  Sycamore  Circuit  was  held  at  Belvidere, 
it  being  the  first  ever  held  in  the  place.  The  pre- 
siding elder,  John  Clark,  preached  with  great  power 
and  acceptance.  On  Saturday,  as  we  have  seen,  the 
meeting  was  held  in  a little  log  house  used  as  a 

18 


210 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


school  room^  and  on  Sunday  held  in  a building  just 
inclosed  as  a work-shop.  Elder  Clark  preached 
Saturday  from  James  i,  25 ; on  Sunday  from  2 Cor- 
inthians viii,  9.  In  1842  Belvidere  became  the 
headquarters  of  a circuit  which  embraced  Bonus 
and  Round  Prairies,  with  R.  A.  Blanchard  and  John 
Hedges  as  preachers.  The  last  quarterly  confer- 
ence of  Crystal  Lake  Circuit  in  1842  passed  resolu- 
tions recommending  the  attachment  of  the  Round 
Prairie  and  Stevenson  classes  to  the  Roscoe  work. 
The  result  was  the  division  of  the  Roscoe  Circuit, 
leaving  the  Belvidere  portion  with  appointments  at 
Round  Prairie,  Russellville,  Bonus  Prairie,  Belvi- 
dere, and  Beaver. 

The  appointments  of  Belvidere  Circuit  in  1843 
were  at  Newbury,  Brownes,  South  Branch,  Blood^s 
Point,  Shattuck^s  Grove,  Lord^s,  Garden  Prairie, 
Poplar  Grove,  and  Beaver.  In  1842  there  were 
but  twenty  members  at  Belvidere,  and  they  were 
mostly  poor.  Mr.  Blanchard  procured  three  lots 
of  Dr.  Malony  for  church  purposes.  Robert  Mc- 
Bride had  put  up  a large  frame  for  a dwelling,  but 
being  unable  to  finish  it  he  gave  the  frame  to  the 
society.  It  was  eighteen  by  twenty-six  feet  in  size. 
Mr.  Blanchard  moved  this  on  to  the  lots  he  had 
secured,  and  set  about  finishing  the  building  for  a 
church.  He  begged  oak  shingles  of  one  man,  oak 
flooring  of  another,  oak  lath  of  a third,  and  pro- 
curing a team  he  hauled  the  lumber  ten  miles  him- 
self. Black  walnut  lumber  was  secured  for  door 
and  window  casings.  One  mechanic  made  the  doors, 
and  another  dressed  the  flooring.  Mr.  Blanchard 


NEW  CHARGES, 


211 


raised  money  sufficient  to  purchase  one  thousand 
feet  of  siding  at  Chicago,  and  set  to  work  laying 
the  floor  and  shingling  the  roof  himself.  He  also 
put  on  nearly  all  the  siding.  This  superb  edifice 
was  ready  for  the  first  quarterly-meeting  of  the 
year.  This  was  held  by  the  presiding  elder,  S.  H. 
Stocking.  A revival  followed,  in  which  eighty 
persons  were  converted.  Before  the  year  closed  the 
subscription  was  raised  for  building  the  church  that 
was  still  standing  in  1870.  We  give  the  above 
items  to  show  how  they  built  churches  in  those  days. 
The  old  Canal  Street  Church,  Chicago,  was  built  in 
1843  in  nearly  the  same  way.  Much  of  the  work 
was  volunteer  work. 

The  year  closed  with  two  hundred  and  ninety- 
four  members,  and  these  two  worthy  men  were  fol- 
lowed by  O.  W.  Hunger.  The  circuit  continued  to 
detach  its  territory  until  1850,  when  Belvidere  be- 
came a station.  In  1849  it  was  a half  station,  with 
George  Lovesee  as  preacher.  There  was  preaching 
every  Sunday  morning  in  Belvidere,  and  at  Shirley 
School-house,  Blood’s  Point,  Shattuck’s  Grove,  and 
Beaver  Creek,  each  once  in  four  weeks,  on  Sabbath 
afternoon.  The  bare  church  walls  had  been  stand- 
ing for  years  in  Belvidere.  During  the  Winter  of 
1850  there  was  a glorious  revival,  with  a large  ac- 
cession. The  preacher  raised  money  to  finish  the 
church,  and  in  1850  it  was  completed.  During  the 
Winter  of  1853  there  was  a revival  resulting  in  the 
conversion  of  a hundred  souls,  and  from  that  time 
the  society  there  has  been  on  the  upward  tendency. 

Napekville  is  another  new  charge  appearing 


212 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


in  1840 — it  was  the  year  before  included  in  Dupage 
Circuit.  In  July,  1831,  the  schooner  Telegraph, 
from  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  Captain  Joseph  and  John 
Naper,  arrived  at  Chicago  with  a number  of  fam- 
ilies. The  families  of  the  Napers  went  west  and 
settled  at  Naper^s  Grove,  near  where  Naperville 
now  stands.  The  village  took  its  name  from  Cap- 
tain Joseph  Naper,  he  being  the  first  white  settler 
upon  the  present  site.  In  1831  a settlement  was 
also  made  at  the  forks  of  the  Dupage,  six  miles 
south-east  of  Naperville.  Rev.  Isaac  Scarritt  was 
among  the  settlers  at  that  place.  S.  R.  Beggs 
preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Naperville  in  the  Fall  of  1832.  He  put  up  at  Cap- 
tain Naper’s  on  Saturday  night,  and  preached  in  a 
private  house  to  a congregation  of  twenty,  half  a 
mile  north-west  of  the  present  town.  E.  Springer 
organized  the  first  class  in  Naperville  in  the  Fall 
of  1836.  He  also  organized,  about  the  same  time, 
the  class  at  Warren ville,  one  of  the  leading  ap- 
pointments of  Naperville  Circuit.  The  meetings  in 
that  day  at  Warren  ville  were  held  at  the  houses  of 
Jude  P.,  and  Erastus  Gary,  brothers  of  George 
Gary  of  the  Black  River  Conference,  a couple  of 
young  men  who  had  come  out  from  Connecticut, 
converts  of  the  early  Methodist  preachers  of  New 
England. 

The  settlers  of  Naperville  and  vicinity  were 
about  equally  divided  between  Southern  and  East- 
ern people.  The  two  streams,  one  up  the  Illinois 
River,  the  other  through  Chicago,  crossed  each 
other  in  Northern  Illinois.  The  Naperville  appoint- 


NEW  CHARGES, 


213 


/ 

ment  continued  in  the  Des  Plaines  and  Dupage 
Circuits  until  1840,  and  in  1841  it  was  again  ab- 
sorbed in  Dupage,  and  did  not  give  name  to  a 
charge  again  until  1847.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
1841  ninety -two  members  were  reported.  From 
1847-49  Naperville  was  more  affected  by  the  James 
Mitchell  troubles  than  any  point  outside  Chicago. 
This  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  several  Chicago 
discontents  settled  at  Naperville,  among  whom  was 
Mr.  Lyman,  who  was  one  of  the  chief  originators 
of  Indiana  Street  Church.  In  1849  the  society  at 
Naperville  became  so  factious  they  would  not  re- 
ceive their  preacher,  O.  W.  Munger,  and  sent  to 
the  Protestant  Methodist  Conference  for  the  best 
preacher  they  had.  Mr.  Strong,  the  very  best  man 
in  that  conference,  was  sent,  and  he  preached  to 
the  Naperville  people  for  a year.  In  1848  the  ap- 
pointments were  at  Naperville,  DownePs  Grove, 
Mayfield^s  School-house,  Gary^s  Mill,  Warren ville, 
Babcock^s  Grove,  Clifford's  School-house,  Upper 
Cass  School-house,  and  Lower  Cass. 

The  leaders  were  at  Naperville,  A.  Underwoods 
Charles  Gary  at  the  mill;  F.  Talmadge  at  Warren- 
ville;  Leander  Clifford  at  Clifford  School-house. 
The  Gary  class  centered  at  the  junction  in  1859, 
and  in  1860  a church  was  built  principally  through 
the  influence  of  Charles  Gary.  Benjamin  Close 
when  on'  the  Naperville  Circuit  in  1860  built  a 
church  at  Warrenville,  principally  by  the  help  of 
Jude  P.  Gary  and  Brother  Graves. 

In  1840  Lockport  first  appeared  on  the  min- 
utes. From  the  beginning  the  place  had  been  an 


214 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


appointment  on  the  Joliet  Circuit.  It  is  not  certain 
who  preached  the  first  sermon  there.  It  was^  how- 
ever, S.  R.  Beggs  or  W.  S.  Crissey.  Mr.  Crissey 
organized  the  society  there  in  the  Summer  of  1839,  ^ 
during  his  second  year  on  Joliet  Circuit.  The 
members  were  G.  AV.  Works,  leader,  Mrs.  Works, 
David  Brezee  (who  died  in  1849)  and  wife,  Alonzo 
Brooks,  Robert  Lowry,  Polly  McMillen,  Diza  Man- 
ning, Achsia  Heath,  Julia  Reed,  and  a few  others. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  one  hundred  and  forty 
members  were  reported  at  conference.  The  circuit 
was  re-attached  to  the  Joliet  Circuit  in  1842,  and 
thus  remained  until  1850,  when  it  became  a circuit 
by  itself.  In  1849  S.  F.  Denning  was  appointed  to 
the  Joliet  Circuit,  but  as  Lockport  was  then  the 
most  pleasant  place,  the  preacher  lived  at  Lockport. 
The  preaching  was  in  the  evening  in  an  old  school- 
house.  During  the  year,  probably  in  the  Summer 
of  1850,  Brother  Denning  began  a small  church. 
It  was  but  twenty  by  thirty-two  feet  in  size,  and 
was  partly  plastered  and  seated  with  rough  seats  by 
Fall,  so  that  the  society  had  a passable  home  of  its 
own  without  going  in  debt  a penny.  In  1850  Joliet 
was  made  a mission  station,  leaving  the  remainder 
of  the  old  work  in  Lockport  Circuit,  with  S.  F. 
Denning  returned  as  preacher.  He  preached  every 
Sunday  in  Lockport,  one  Sabbath  in  the  morning 
the  other  in  the  evening.  The  other  appointments 
were  Yankee  Settlement,  Chelsea,  Francis’s  class  on 
Hickory  Creek,  South  Chelsea,  Dryer’s  class,  Had- 
ley, and  Mt.  Hope.  The  preaching  was  in  school- 
houses  in  every  place  but  Lockport. 


NEW  CHARGES. 


215 


During  this  year  the  church  at  Lockport  was 
completed,  and  was  dedicated  by  Hooper  Crews. 
Colonel  Manning  pronounced  the  little  church 
beautiful,  but  best  of  all  was  the  absence  of  debt, 
that  incubus  upon  so  many  churches.  A church 
was  also  commenced  at  Chelsea  and  inclosed,  so 
that  it  was  used  most  of  the  year  by  supplying 
temporary  seats.  It  was  thirty  by  forty  feet  in  size, 
and  was  in  its  unfinished  condition  much  better 
than  the  old  school-house.  Miles  L.  Reed,  a man 
with  a world  of  energy,  went  to  Lockport  in  1854, 
and  soon  set  about  building  a large  and  commo- 
dious church.  The  church  when  finished  was  forty- 
two  by  sixty-five  feet,  with  basement,  the  whole 
costing  |6,000.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  4, 
1855,  by  J.  V.  Watson,  and  it  was  dedicated  Sab- 
bath, July  13,  1856,  by  James  B.  Finley,  text,  Isa- 
iah xi,  6-9.  There  was  yet  $1,500  lacking  to  meet 
expenses.  A subscription  was  taken  amounting  to 
$1,100.  In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Finley  related  in- 
cidents in  his  experience  in  early  ministerial  life, 
and  J.  W.  Flowers,  presiding  elder  of  the  district, 
preached  in  the  evening.  Joel  A.  Manning  paid 
$1,300  towards  the  erection  of  this  fine  building. 
The  church  stands  as  a worthy  monument  of  Brother 
Reed^s  untiring  energy.  From  this  time  Metho- 
dism began  to  rise.  There  was  a revival  in  1857, 
with  thirty  converts.  Joel  Manning  was  class- 
leader  from  1843.  Lockport  is  now  a desirable 
appointment.  A new  circuit  and  a new  preacher 
appeared  together  in  1840.  It  was  Savannah  Cir- 
cuit, with  Philo  Judson  as  preacher. 


216 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Savannah  Circuit  embraced  all  the  country  along 
the  Mississippi  from  Galena  to  Rock  Island.  It 
was  a wild  new  country,  and  the  best  place  the 
preacher  could  find  to  live  in  was  a board  shanty 
put  up  under  the  lee  of  a larger  building.  On  this 
first  circuit  Mr.  Judson  gave  promise  of  the  man 
he  has  since  shown  himself  to  be.  He  established 
the  first  regular  appointment  at  Albany,  and  in  1857 
an  old  periodical  book  was  lying  about  the  parson- 
age at  Albany,  in  which  were  many  items  and  ac- 
counts written  and  kept  in  order  in  Mr.  Judson^s 
best  style.  If  he  ever  forgot  that  first  circuit  the 
people  have  not  forgotten  him.  The  circuit  con- 
tinued the  same  in  1841,  with  W.  W.  Buck  and  G. 
L.  S.  Stuff  as  preachers.  Both  preachers  were  re- 
ceived on  trial  this  year.  Mr.  Buck  was  appointed 
to  Prophetstown  in  1842,  to  Buffalo  Grove  in  1843, 
and  in  1844  he  located. 

Savannah  Circuit  was  divided  until  it  became 
weak  and  small,  and  in  1843  disappeared.  But  in 
1857  the  town  gave  name  to  another  small  charge. 
It  had  the  year  before  been  embraced  in  the  Mt. 
Carroll  Circuit.  The  appointments  were  at  Savan- 
nah, Pleasant  Hill  school-house  four  miles  east  of 
Savannah,  Ashby’s  school-house,  and  Mt.  Zion,  five 
miles  north  of  Savannah. 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  217 


CHAPITER  XVI. 

, CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD  FROM  1840  TO  1845. 

Chicago  in  1840  received  as  pastor  Hooper 
Crews.  Old  Clark  Street  could  not  have  re- 
ceived a more  fitting  man.  Chicago  was  then,  in 
Church  as  well  as  in  secular  matters,  beginning  to 
recover  from  the  crash  of  1837,  and  from  the  date 
of  Mr.  Crews’s  appointment  Chicago  Methodism  has 
had  an  upward  tendency.  There  were  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  year  one  hundred  and  fifty  mem- 
bers; at  its  close  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine. 
Hooper  Crews  remained  there  two  years,  and  dur- 
ing his  term  prosperity,  with  many  conversions, 
attended  his  ministry.  The  church  of  1834  had, 
in  Peter  Borein’s  time  (1838),  been  enlarged,  and 
now  it  was  doubled  in  size,  so  that  the  original 
north  side  church  formed  a quarter  of  the  large 
low  church  of  1845. 

In  1842  N.  P.  Cunningham  was  transferred  from 
the  Illinois  Conference  to  serve  Clark  Street.  When 
he  arrived  at  Chicago  he  found  the  custom  still  in 
force  in  all  the  Churches  of  preaching  three  times 
on  the  Sabbath.  In  the  Spring,  by  common  con- 
sent, the  afternoon  sermon  was  discontinued.  The 
conference  which  held  its  session  in  Chicago  had 

just  closed,  and  had  left  a revival  influence  behind 

19 


218 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


it.  A revival  was  on  hand  without  effort^  and 
when  one  afternoon  in  the  middle  of  November, 
1842,  we  stepped  into  the  Methodist  Church  for  the 
first  time  the  people  were  alive.  One  brother, 
Harrington  by  name,  after  talking  to  the  people, 
interrupting  the  sermon,  fell  to  the  floor  and  lay  on 
his  back  in  front  of  the  altar,  shouting.  That  was 
a Winter  of  great  revivals.  A protracted  meeting 
commenced  in  the  Methodist  Church,  which  con- 
tinued every  night  for  three  months.  There  were 
one  hundred  and  fifty  conversions.  Brother  Crews, 
who  was  presiding  elder  on  the  Chicago  District, 
remarked  in  meeting  one  evening  towards  Spring 
that  he  had  attended  meeting  at  different  places  on 
his  district  every  evening  for  three  months.  In 
Chicago,  in  every  place,  among  all  classes,  religion 
was  the  topic.  You  could  not  enter  a store  but  de- 
bates for  or  against  religion  were  on  hand.  For 
three  months  we,  at  school,  along  the  streets,  in  the 
stores,  scarcely  ever  heard  a knot  of  people  in  con- 
versation but  the  topic  was  religion.  One  thing 
that  conduced  to  this  was  the  Millerite  excitement 
of  that  year.  In  that  day  we  knew  of  no  converts 
to  the  Advent  ideas  in  Illinois,  but  have  since 
learned  that  in  McHenry  and  Boone  Counties,  at 
Harvard,  and  at  Round  Prairie  there  were  such 
converts,  and  these  are  all  we  have  ever  heard  of 
in  the  State  who  in  1843  believed  the  Advent  doc- 
trine. At  Round  Prairie  they  were  Baptists,  at 
Diggins  settlement  they  were  Methodists.  But 
though  there  were  no  professed  converts  in  Chicago 
the  agitation  of  the  subject  caused  people  to  think 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  219 

of  religion  and  the  judgment  day,  and  thus  give 
their  thoughts  to  a preparation  for  death.  A splen- 
did comet  hung  across  the  Southern  heavens  for  a 
months  This,  with  the  Millerites,  was  one  of  the 
signs  and  wonders  in  heaven,^^  and  so  long  as  it 
showed  its  gorgeous  brilliance  in  the  sky  people 
were  led  to  talk  of  its  premonitions.  As  an  in- 
stance of  the  doings  of  the  times  allow  us  to  cite  a 
trivial  incident.  At  the  close  of  meeting  one  night 
a young  brother  asked  us  if  we  had  seen  the  won- 
derful egg  at  the  hardware  store.  We  had  not  seen 
it.  He  urged  us  to  go,  for  it  was  a most  wonderful 
sight.  Being  a curious  Yankee  the  next  morning 
early  we  set  out  a half  mile  down  town  to  William 
Wheeler’s  store  and  obtained  a view  of  the  wonder- 
ful egg.  It  had  been  brought  in  from  the  country 
and  sold  for  fifty  cents.  On  the  shell  in  rough 
raised  letters,  seemingly  in  nature’s  own  handiwork 
were  the  ominous  words : 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  forty- three, 

The  end  of  time  will  be.’^ 

This,  as  the  story  went,  had  been  laid  by  the 
hen  in  its  lettered  condition,  and  it  became  a nine 
days’  wonder.  In  a week  the  owner  received  an- 
other egg  from  a chemist  with  these  still  more  omi- 
nous words: 

‘‘In  eighteen  hundred  and  forty-four, 

William  Wheeler  will  be  no  more.” 

This  explained  the  hoax  and  showed  how  a 
chemist  with  acids  could  do  the  lettering. 

Brother  Cunningham  was  one  of  the  most  assid- 
uous laborers  Chicago  Methodism  has  ever  been  blest 


220 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


with.  He  walked  the  snowy  streets  day  after  day  for 
miles^  hunting  up  the  lost  sheep.  But,  with  all 
his  toils,  he  was  never  very  popular  with  the  older 
members.  He  dressed  in  brown  full  cloth,  and 
preached  much  against  dress  and  worldly  fashion, 
and,  we  suspect,  was  opposed  to  choirs;  besides, 
there  was  a strength  of  will  that  made  him  stand 
up  to  oppose  all  error  and  wrong.  During  the 
Winter  Rev.  C.  B.  Smith  was  preaching  at  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  He  was  a schemer,  and  while  baptiz- 
ing his  young  converts  two  nights  in  a week  would 
take  occasion  to  give  the  anti-immersion  people  a 
stroke  or  two.  Many  sailors  attended  Mr.  Smithes 
Church,  won  by  his  keenness  of  wit  and  common 
sense,  and  one  Sunday  morning  he  caused  to  be 
hoisted  over  his  church  a flag  with  the  significant 
word,  ^^Bethel,^^  in  letters  of  white  in  a field  of 
blue.  Antagonism  on  one  side  produces  it  on  an- 
other, and  N.  P.  Cunningham,  in  what  he  consid- 
ered self-defense,  often  answered  the  challenges  of 
the  eloquent  Baptist,  who  succeeded  now  and  then 
in  getting  a sheep  from  Cunningham^s  flock. 

The  favorite  chorus  sung  in  this  meeting  of  1843 
we  have  never  heard  since.  It  thrilled  our  young 
heart.  It  was, — 

“ I bound  for  the  promised  land, 

O who  will  come  and  go  with  me, 

I ’m  bound  for  the  promised  land.” 

James  McClane  and  the  present  writer  joined 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Clark  Street  in 
the  Fall  of  1842.  We  had  made  a profession  of 
religion  on  Fox  River  in  November  of  this  year, 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD,  221 


but  still  in  some  sort  we  consider  N.  P.  Cunning- 
ham as  our  spiritual  father.  There  is  little  signifi- 
cance probably  in  coincidences,  but  the  fact  that  he 
was  licensed  to  exhort  the  same  year  we  were  born, 
and  that  he  died  very  nearly  the  same  day  we  were 
received  into  conference,  has  caused  us  to  wonder 
if  the  Lord  would  not  suffer  his  mantle  to  fall  upon 
us.  Mr.  Cunningham  was  a tall,  spare,  light-haired 
man,  with  pathetic  and  eloquent  manner.  He  could 
pray  with  a spirit  that  would  seem  to  carry  the  peo- 
ple up  to  the  very  gates  of  heaven.  Many  of  his 
converts  have  arisen  to  become  faithful  members  of 
the  Church.  He  began  the  year  with  one  hundred 
and  eighty-nine  members  and  closed  with  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-nine,  being  an  increase  of  one 
hundred. 

At  the  close  of  the  conference  year  Canal  Street 
Church  was  under  way,  and  two  preachers  were  sent 
to  the  charge.  These  were  Luke  Hitchcock  and 
Abram  Hanson.  The  year  1843  stands  ever  mem- 
orable as  the  time  when  a second  charge  and  a sec- 
ond preacher  appeared  in  the  city.  It  was  the  first 
second  charge  in  any  place  in  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference. The  two  societies  were  continued  together 
as  one  charge  until  1845,  each  preacher  preaching 
in  the  morning  at  one  church,  and  in  the  evening 
at  the  other,  changing  about  each  Sabbath.  This 
was  rather  a dull  year.  Luke  Hitchcock  was  al- 
ways more  intellectual  than  stirring,  and  he  had 
poor  health  from  the  beginning  of  the  year,  which 
caused  him  to  leave  the  work  entirely  after  six 
months.  Mr.  Hanson  was  an  eloquent,  flowery 


222 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


young  Englishman,  ju«t  received  into  conference, 
who  drew  the  polite  world  around  him.  Besides, 
the  great  Millerite  strain  of  the  year  before  had 
subsided,  and  the  cold  reaction  had  set  in,  and  over 
the  whole  city  there  was  carelessness.  Neglect  and 
forgetfulness  seemed  to  come  over  the  people.  Pro- 
tracted meetings  were  held  during  the  Winter,  but 
they  were  slimly  attended,  and  there  were  never 
more  than  three  or  four  forward  for  prayers  at  a 
time.  It  was  a year  of  thinning  and  sifting ; but 
still,  by  immigration  and  the  few  conversions,  three 
hundred  and  fifty  members  were  reported  to  confer- 
ence. The  presiding  elder,  H.  Crews,  supplied  the 
pulpit  after  Brother  Hitchcock^s  departure.  Brother 
Hanson  left  at  conference  time,  waved  away  by 
many  a white  handkerchief  from  the  Chicago  River, 
as  he  gently  glided  from  our  view  on  a lake  steamer, 
bound  for  England.  He  was  absent  a year,  but  re- 
turned in  time  to  be  readmitted  to  conference  in 
1846,  to  be  appointed  to  Old  Town,  Galena.  In 
1847-48  he  was  appointed  to  Kenosha;  in  1849-50, 
to  Racine;  and  in  1851  he  took  a superannuated 
relation,  and  has,  we  believe,  never  been  in  the  reg- 
ular work  since,  at  one  time  even  being  out  of  the 
Church.  He  went  as  consul  to  Hayti  in  1864,  and 
died  at  Monrovia  in  July,  1866. 

As  we  have  observed  elsewhere,  many  English 
were  members  of  Clark  Street  Church,  and,  conse- 
quently, English  customs  prevailed.  The  love- feast 
ticket  had  long  been  in  use ; but  this  year  they 
passed  out  of  fashion.  It  is  probable  that  H.  Crews 
issued  the  last  of  these  tickets  that  were  ever  given 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD,  223 


out  by  Clark  Street  pastors.  The  love-feasts  were 
always  held  with  closed  doors,  and  you  were  ad- 
mitted on  presentation  of  the  ticket.  The  following 
is  a copy  of  one  of  the  last  ever  issued : 

‘‘  Alvaro  Field, 

‘‘  ‘ In  thee,  O Lord,  do  I put  my  trust ; let  me  never  be  . 
ashamed;  deliver  me  in  thy  righteousness.’  (Psa.  xxxi,  1.) 

4iih  Qr,,  July,  1844.  H.  Crews.” 

The  year  following  the  appointment  of  Hitch- 
cock and  Hanson,  W.  M.  D.  Ryan  and  Warner 
Oliver  were  sent  to  the  Chicago  Circuit.  Mr.  Ryan 
had  been  a Whig  stump-orator  in  Ohio,  and  being 
converted  at  a camp-meeting,  he  preached  at  the 
stand  in  three  hours  after  his  conversion,  and  drove 
things  at  high  pressure  ever  after.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1839  and  ap- 
pointed junior  preacher  at  Rushville.  In  1840  he 
was  appointed  junior  on  Deer  Creek  Circuit,  in  the 
same  relation  to  Hillsboro  in  1841,  as  preacher  in 
charge  at  Ripley  in  1842,  and  in  1844  at  Chicago. 
In  1846  he  went  to  Milwaukee,  but  during  the  year, 
by  an  arrangement  with  F.  M.  Mills,  he  changed 
Milwaukee  for  a charge  in  Baltimore  as  junior 
preacher  on  Baltimore  Circuit.  In  1849  he  was  at 
Columbia  Street.  Here  he  had  some  sweeping  re- 
vivals. In  1851  he  was  transferred  to  Philadelphia 
Conference  and  appointed  to  St.  George’s  Chapel. 
He  remained  in  Philadelphia  a year  or  two  and 
was  made  agent  of  the  Metropolitan  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  Washington.  This  stupendous 
scheme  could  have  been  pushed  through  by  Dr.  Ryan, 
M.  D.,  if  by  any  one,  but  for  once  he  undertook  to 


224 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


lift  a burden  too  heavy  to  bear.  In  1857  the  State 
Street  Churchy  Chicago,  desired  to  leave  their  hum- 
ble room,  and  they  procured  the  appointment  of 
Dr.  Ryan  as  their  preacher.  He  engineered  the 
building  of  Wabash  Avenue  Church,  and  after  two 
years  returned  to  Baltimore.  Since  that  time  he 
has  been  in  charge  of  churches  in  Washington  City, 
and  there  he  alternated  between  a revival  and  a 
church  building  scheme. 

Warner  Oliver,  who  had  been  a member  of  the 
Illinois  Conference  for  several  years,  and  who  went 
to  California  in  1850,  was  at  Clark  Street  a Sunday 
before  Mr.  Ryan  came.  We  all  felt  that  he  was 
the  man  we  needed.  There  was  a life  and  interest 
in  his  preaching,  which  reminded  us  of  old  times. 
But  when  on  the  next  Sunday  Mr.  Ryan  appeared 
our  joy  knew  no  bounds.  His  first  sermon  in  Chi- 
cago was  Ryanish  all  over.  He  pounded  the  Bible, 
he  flew  from  side  to  side  of  the  old  box  pulpit,  he 
exulted,  and  exclaimed,  and  harangued,  and  aroused, 
melted  to  tears,  and  exhilarated  to  shouts  the  vast 
throng  crowded  into  the  old  wooden  shell.  The 
preacher  himself  was  dripping  with  perspiration,  his 
linen  being  as  wet  as  on  wash  day.  He  captured 
the  people  that  morning  and  held  them  for  two 
years.  If  you  ask  by  what  chain,  I say  by  one  at- 
tached to  the  emotions,  and  not  to  the  intellect. 
Storm  a man^s  soul  and  you  have  him. 

Mr.  Ryan  was  a medley.  He  was  a mixture  of 
enthusiasm,  pathos,  blarney,  pompousness,  and  satire, 
with  enough  assurance  to  make  him  think  he  could 
do  what  he  pleased.  His  great  forte  in  1845  was 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  225 

portraiture  of  persons  and  painting  of  scenes.  Peter 
Borein  displayed  to  view  the  experience  of  men, 
Ryan  their  actions,  even  to  mimicry.  He  would 
sometimes  reach  over  the  pulpit,  and  opening  the 
doors  of  the  lower  world  would  let  his  congrega- 
tion have  such  a vivid  sight  of  the  damned  they 
would  quiver.  Then  heaven,  gorgeous,  glorious, 
would  burst  its  doors  with  the  overflow  of  glory, 
and  the  people,  dazzled  with  the  sight,  would  shout 
for  joy.  He  was  withal  a little  given  to  the  hypo. 
Things  would  clothe  themselves  in  shadows,  and 
alone  at  home  he  would  sink  in  despondency.  He 
was  troubled  at  times  with  attacks  of  bilious  cholera, 
and  sending  for  the  physician  would  make  ready  to 
die.  The  doctor  learned  the  weak  point  very  soon, 
and  sometimes  rallied  him  by  strategy.  Once  the 
preacher  was  about  to  depart.  A few  more  hours, 
and  his  life  would  be  ended.  The  doctor,  D.  S. 
Smith,  feeling  his  pulse,  remarked : Brother  Ryan, 

what  a muscular  arm  you  have!’^  Upon  this,  Mr. 
Ryan  raised  himself  up  in  his  bed,  and,  baring  his 
arm,  exhibited  its  nervous  muscles,  and  began  to 
tell  the  weights  it  had  lifted  and  the  great  feats  of 
strength  it  had  performed.  And  so  the  physician 
beguiled  him  into  stories  of  youthful  doings,  until, 
the  pains  subsiding,  he  was  soon  on  his  feet,  a well 
man.  After  these  sick  spells  we  were  sure  to  hear 
from  him  in  the  pulpit ; for  then  he  always  went 
ahead  of  himself  in  pulpit  thunder.  At  one  time, 
when  he  was  carried  away  in  one  of  his  after-sick- 
ness gusts,  he  exclaimed,  Bless  God,  I have  had 
the  fever  this  week 


226 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


In  social  conversation  he  was  always  entertain- 
ing the  brethren  with  his  wonderful  doings.  He 
was  put  up  to  preach  at  the  Galena  Conference  in 
1846.  The  sermon  reverberated,  not  only  through 
old  Bench  Street  Church,  but  through  street  and 
alley,  over  hills  and  vales;  and,  in  conclusion,  he 
informed  his  astonished  audience  that  if  he  could 
have  had  another  hour  and  his  accustomed  physical 
strength,  they  would  have  heard  from  him!  After 
this  sermon,  in  private  conversation  with  a parcel 
of  ministers,  where  the  subject  of  Ryan^s  modes 
came  up,  he  gave  them  a bit  of  his  experience  in 
the  preaching  line.  Among  other  things,  he  gave 
them  this  picture : The  serpent  of  sin  lays  the 

eggs  of  remorse  in  the  soul,  which,  hatching  there, 
gnaw  upon  the  soul,  world  without  end.  There,^^ 
said  he,  that  is  not  a touching  to  what  I can  do.^^ 
After  the  Clark  Street  Church  was  built  in  1845,  a 
Chicago  painter  drew  the  church,  with  Di*.  Ryan 
standing  near  by,  pointing  up  to  the  steeple  with  his 
gold-headed  cane,  showing  a stranger  its  lofty  spire, 
as  much  as  to  say,  Do  you  see  that  This  pic- 
ture was  framed,  after  being  signed  by  the  official 
board,  and  presented  to  Mr,  Ryan.  The  picture 
was  hung  up  in  a prominent  place,  and  Brother 
Ryan  said  he  preferred  it  as  a gift  rather  than  two 
hundred  dollars  in  cash.  All  will  understand  that 
the  main  constituents  of  such  a nature  are  rare 
cleverness  and  good-will.  He  had  a mesmeric 
power,  that  called  people  around  him  and  to  his 
arms.  He  was  not  one  of  those  persons  who  bring 
people  to  their  feet,  but  one  who  brings  them  to  his 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  227 


embrace.  His  churches  in  Illinois  were  always 
crowded,  and  many  a time,  on  ordinary  occasions, 
we,  as  a youth,  sat  on  the  altar  rail,  to  make  room 
for  others  in  Mr.  Ryan^s  Clark  Street  crowd,  and 
this,  too,  in  a church  that  held  twelve  hundred 
people. 

During  the  first  Winter  of  Ryan  and  Oliver’s  term 
there  were  three  hundred  conversions  at  the  two 
churches.  The  year  (1844)  began  with  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  members,  and  closed  with  five  hun- 
dred. The  meetings  of  the  Winter  were  like  those 
of  1839  and  1843.  They  lasted  three  months,  and 
many  a night  our  party  took  seekers  of  religion  be- 
longing to  our  set,  at  the  close  of  meetings  at  the 
church,  over  to  George  F.  Foster’s  house  on  the 
North  Side,  where  we  would  remain  an  hour  or  two 
in  prayer  and  the  relating  of  experience.  There  is 
no  joy  on  earth  like  a glorious  protracted  meeting, 
and  were  it  not  for  the  frequent  reactions  they  would 
be  more  numerous. 

In  1840  Elgin  received  Sias  Bolles,  who  had 
just  come  from  the  Genesee  Conference.  Brother 
Bolles  began  his  work,  and  at  once  put  new  life 
into  the  affairs  of  the  Church.  He  became  noted 
and  popular  and  greatly  successful.  The  year  closed 
with  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  members,  and 
William  Vallette,  a man  rather  after  the  Bolles  sort, 
v/as  sent  to  the  work.  Ever  since  then  Elgin  has 
pursued  the  even  tenor  of  its  way.  Brother  Bolles 
returned  to  the  charge  in  1850,  and  put  on  a wing 
in  the  form  of  an  L to  the  old  narrow  church,  and 
C.  M.  Woodard,  in  1857,  made  some  effort  to  build 


228 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


a new  church.  After  spending  three  hundred  dol- 
lars on  drawings,  the  work  failed.  In  June,  1861, 
when  E.  Q.  Fuller  was  on  the  charge,  a meeting 
was  held  commemorative  of  the  establishment  of 
Methodism  in  the  place,  it  being  the  twenty-fifth 
year  of  the  society's  history.  Addresses  were  de- 
livered on  History  of  Elgin  Methodism, by  the 
pastor;  on  Pioneer  Preachers,^^  by  A.  D.  Field; 
on  Methodism  as  It  was  and  is,^^  by  H.  Crews ; 
and  on  Methodist  Literature,^^  by  J.  W.  Agard. 
The  addresses  (excepting  our  own)  were  fine,  and 
the  occasion  was  one  of  interest,  and  one  that  may 
Avell  be  copied  by  other  societies.  The  Free  Meth- 
odist movement  interfered  with  the  progress  of 
Methodism  in  Elgin  between  1858  and  1862,  and 
probably,  but  for  that  ill,  there  would  have  been  a 
good  church  in  Elgin  at  an  earlier  day.  The  new 
brick  was  finally  built  in  1869. 

Roscoe  in  1840  received  M.  Bourne,  the  preacher 
of  the  year  before.  The  members  of  the  circuit, 
which  included  the  country  from  Belvidere  to 
Beloit,  were  but  seventy-eight.  The  year  closed 
with  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  members,  and 
James  McKean  was  sent  to  the  charge,  who  closed 
up  a year  with  an  increase  of  eleven  members.  In 
1842  Belvidere  was  set  off  from  Roscoe,  and  O.  W. 
Munger  sent  to  the  latter  work.  The  appointments 
were  Roscoe,  Beloit,  and  a few  country  appoint- 
ments lying  near. 

O.  W.  Munger  was  born  in  Delaware  County, 
New  York,  in  1804,  was  converted  in  1822,  soon 
after  which  he  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  229 


Church.  After  laboring  as  a local  preacher  two 
years,  in  which  time  he  preached  two  hundred  and 
sixty  sermons — a great  work  for  a local  preacher — 
he  was  admitted  into  the-  New  York  Conference  in 
1836,  and  continued  to  travel  in  that  conference  till 
1842,  when  he  located,  came  West,  was  readmitted 
to  the  Rock  River  Conference,  and  sent  to  Roscoe. 
He  continued  to  travel  regularly  until  his  death  in 
1852.  In  1851  he  was  appointed  to  Wilmington 
Circuit,  and  September  9,  1852,  he  died  of  dysen- 
tery, in  peace,  in  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  an  active,  methodical  man,  who  always  per- 
formed the  hardest  kind  of  circuit  labor. 

John  Hodges,  full  of  faith  and  deep  piety,  went 
to  Roscoe  in  1843,  and  was  followed  in  1844  by 
Alpha  Wakren,  who  came  into  the  conference  by 
transfer  in  1841,  and,  previous  to  going  to  Roscoe, 
had  been  at  Janesville  and  Whitewater,  in  Wis- 
consin. In  1847  he  located,  and  disappears  from 
our  view. 

In  1845  Zadoc  Hall  was  appointed  to  Roscoe. 
The  Wesleyan  disturbance  had  created  great  dis- 
affection there,  and  Brother  HalPs  gentle  manners 
carried  them  through  the  storm.  None  withdrew 
during  the  year,  but  many  came  near  doing  so.  The 
preacher  received  about  eighty  members  on  trial, 
and  had  a pleasant  year.  The  church  at  Beloit  was 
commenced  this  year,  and  Beloit  set  off  as  a station. 
Previous  to  this  the  appointments  were  at  Roscoe, 
Beloit,  Picatonica  (Rockton),  William  Brown’s,  Lin- 
defman’s  or  Cady’s  school-house,  Charles  Babcock’s, 
and  Harvey  Gregory’s.  Brother  Hall  says : This 


230 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


was  one  of  the  most  pleasant  circuits  I have  had 
the  pleasure  of  traveling,  composed  almost  entirely 
of  New  Yorkers  and  New  England  Yankees,  I 
think  there  was  but  one  family  from  any  of  the 
Southern  States.^^  In  1847  Rockton  and  Prairie 
School-house  are  named  among  the  appointments. 
A fine  brick  church  was  commenced  at  Roscoe  in 
1848,  and  finished  in  1849,  being  ahead  of  most 
churches  in  the  country  at  that  time.  In  1856  a 
meeting  was  held,  which  did  not  close  until  April, 
resulting  in  more  than  ninety  conversions. 

Rockford  commenced  the  year  1840  a half  sta- 
tion, with  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  members, 
and  S.  H.  Stocking,  who  had  been  at  Chicago  the 
year  before,  as  preacher.  Brother  Stocking  be- 
longed to  a family  of  preachers.  Three  or  four 
brothers  have  at  different  times  been  traveling 
preachers  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Sophronius 
H.  was  admitted  into  the  old  Genesee  Conference  in 
1822,  when  it  embraced  nearly  all  the  State  of  New 
York,  with  Northern  Pennsylvania  and  two  districts 
in  Canada,  and  was  admitted  to  the  ranks  in  which 
stood  and  marched  to  the  glorious  conflicts  of  that 
day  such  men  as  Abner  Chase,  Asa  Abel,  George 
Peck,  George  Gary,  Seth  Mattison,  Elias  Bowen, 
John  Dempster,  George  Lane,  Horace  Agard  (father 
of  John  W.  Agard),  William  Case,  John  Ryerson, 
Henry  Ryan,  Philander  Smith  (late  a bishop  of 
the  Canada  Methodist  Episcopal  Church),  Glezen 
Filmore,  Zachariah  Paddock,  Isaac  Puffer,  and 
Loring  Grant.  He  was  appointed  junior  preacher 
on  Tioga  Circuit,  with  George  Lane  as  presiding 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD, 


231 


elder.  He  continued  in  the  Genesee  Conference 
until  its  division  in  1828,  when  he  fell  into  the 
Oneida  Conference,  where  he  continued  to  travel 
until  1838,  when  he  located,  to  come  West.  Arriv- 
ing here,  he  located  his  large  family  on  Bonus 
Prairie,  and  was  stationed  in  Chicago  in  1839.  He 
became  one  of  the  most  useful  and  popular  preach- 
ers of  the  conference,  and  continued  to  do  efficient 
work  until  1854,  when  he  superannuated,  and  soon 
after  settled  in  a pleasant  home  at  Beloit.  He  was 
about  thirty  years  in  the  regular  work. 

John  Crummer  was  appointed  to  Rockford  in 
1841.  During  that  Summer  a brick  school-house 
was  erected  at  the  north-east  corner  of  the  park,  in 
which  the  Methodists  worshiped  for  some  time. 
But  during  the  year  the  Methodists  and  Universal- 
ists  came  into  collision.  There  was  a distinct  un- 
derstanding, in  building  the  house,  that  the  Meth- 
odists were  to  use  it  as  a place  of  worship ; but  the 
Universalists  published  an  appointment  at  the  same 
hour  of  the  Methodists^  appointment.  The  Meth- 
odists quietly  yielded,  and  the  Universalists,  having 
got  possession  and  being  let  alone,  died  out. 
Brother  Crummer  moved  to  the  upper  part  of  the 
parsonage,  and  the  lower  portion  was  converted  into 
a chapel.  John  Crummer  had  been  admitted  into 
the  Illinois  Conference  in  1836 ; had  traveled  Min- 
eral Point,  Bellevue,  Helena,  and  Milwaukee  Cir- 
cuits— all  but  Bellevue,  in  Wisconsin.  He  took  a 
superannuated  relation  in  1847,  and  in  1849  located, 
and  resides  at  present  near  Savannah,  Illinois.  He 
was  followed  in  1842,  at  Rockford,  by  Sias  Bolles. 


232 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


During  this  year  the  society  purchased  what  was 
called  the  ^^Old  Female  Seminary/^  It  was  first 
built  for  a Congregational  Church;  but  the  Con- 
gregationalists  and  Presbyterians  uniting  on  the 
West  Side,  the  building  was  for  sale.  It  was  used 
for  a court-house  until  the  Methodists  purchased  it. 
It  was  afterwards  used  for  a female  seminary,  and 
in  1864  was  used  as  a barn.  To  such  uses  do  the 
first  and  old  churches  come.  Better  a barn,  how- 
ever, than  a billiard  saloon,  as  became  the  fate  of 
several  Chicago  churches.  There  was  an  increase 
during  the  year  of  sixty-one  members. 

Brother  Bolles  was  followed  in  1843  by  R.  A. 
Blanchard,  and  he  in  1844  by  N.  P.  Heath.  The 
circuit  remained  the  same  as  in  1841,  and  noth- 
ing of  special  interest  occurred.  N.  P.  Heath 
was  one  of  those  received  in  1844  by  the  addition 
of  territory  from  the  Illinois  Conference.  He 
was  raised  in  Alton,  and  was  one  of  those 
young  men  sometimes  called  hard  cases,^^  and, 
whether  he  took  any  part  or  not,  he  was  present 
with  the  mob  that  shot  E.  P.  Lovejoy  at  Alton,  in 
1837.  After  being  powerfully  converted,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1839,  and 
appointed  junior  preacher  on  Grafton  Circuit,  on 
the  Alton  District.  He  was  sent  to  Petersburg  in 
1840,  to  Sangamon  in  1841,  to  Athens  in  1842,  and 
to  Mechanicsburg  in  1843.  From  1844  he  contin- 
ued in  connection  with  the  Rock  River  Conference 
until  1853,  when  he  went  to  California.  After 
doing  effective  work  there  a few  years,  one  year  as 
presiding  elder,  he  returned  to  Illinois  in  1857,  and 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKFORD.  233 


was  stationed  at  Dixon.  In  1858  he  was  the  third 
time  appointed  to  Rockford  (Third  Street)^  and  at 
the  end  of  the  year  1860  he  located  and  settled  near 
Paris,  Illinois,  but  in  1865  appeared  to  be  travel- 
ing in  the  Indiana  Conference,  being,  stationed  at 
New  Albany.  Before  the  new  class  of  preachers 
came  up,  and  about  the  time  of  his  departure  for 
California,  Mr.  Heath  ranked  among  the  popular 
and  first  men  of  the  conference.  Dark  in  com- 
plexion, stout  in  build,  eloquent  in  manner,  restive 
in  disposition,  he  did  well  where  things  moved 
smoothly  ; but  wherever  opposition  occurred,  he  met 
with  perplexity,  and  his  will  often  brought  him  into 
difficulties.  In  the  days  of  his  last  connection  with 
the  conference  a new  race  of  men  and  order  of 
things  had  arisen,  and  Brother  Heath  began  to  feel 
that  he  was  not  as  much  at  home  as  in  other  days, 
and  under  somewhat  of  a discouraged  spirit  he 
located.  He  was  one  of  the  brave  men  of  the  work 
in  the  middle  days  of  the  Rock  River  Conference’s 
history.  Long  will  his  memory  live  in  his  old  field! 
We  know  not  which  would  have  felt  most  honored, 
but  at  the  conference  of  1864  every  body  was  mak- 
ing remarks  upon  the  striking  resemblance  between 
Bishop  Kingsley  and  our  old-time  co-laborer,  N.  P. 
Heath. 

Sycamore  received  L.  S.  Walker  and  Nathan- 
iel Swift  in  1840.  Mr.  Swift  was  among  the 
number  of  those  who  were  received  on  trial  at  the 
first  Rock  River  Conference.  He  was  young,  am- 
bitious, zealous,  and  acceptable.  He  preached  the 
next  year  on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit,  on  Wheeling  in 

20 


234 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


1842,  and  in  1845  located,  and  settled  in  Wisconsin, 
He  was  readmitted  into  the  Wisconsin  Conference 
in  1862^  and  located  again  in  1864. 

Sycamore  Circuit  had  been  cut  down  to  a con- 
venient size,  and  the  appointments  of  the  year  will 
give  an  idea  of  its  size  for  ten  or  more  following 
years.  These  were  at  Sycamore,  where  preaching 
was  first  commenced  this  year  ; Union  Grove,  Brush 
Point,  Whitens  School-house,  Genoa,  Lee’s  Mill, 
Blood’s  Point,  Shattuck’s  Grove,  Charter  Grove, 
Chicken  Grove,  Lily  Lake;  Emick  School-house, 
now  Plato  Center,  the  school-house  being  named 
after  the  father  of  Myron  Emick,  the  scout,  who 
took  to  Porter’s  fleet  the  first  news  of  Sherman’s 
safe  arrival  near  Savannah,  in  1864.  This  year  a 
parsonage  was  finished,  the  frame  of  which  had  been 
put  up  the  year  before.  This  was  probably  at  Syc- 
amore. In  June,  1841,  a glorious  camp-meeting 
was  held  on  Stephen  Archer’s  farm,  near  Plato  Cen- 
ter, attended  by  the  Methodists  from  the  settlements 
up  and  down  Fox  River.  There  came,  in  the  vigor 
of  their  ministerial  manhood,  J.  T.  Mitchell,  the 
presiding  elder,  of  commanding  form ; Sias  Bolles, 
winning  all  hearts  to  himself;  William  Kimball, 
with  swaying  eloquence ; S.  H.  Stocking,  with  silver 
tongue;  Ora  A.  Walker,  with  good  cheer  and  zeal; 
M.  Bourne,  with  quiet  mien ; Daniel  Brayton,  with 
venerable  presence;  and  others.  In  the  hands  of 
these  men  the  meeting  was  most  powerful.  The 
favorite  song  was  one  revived  twenty  years  after, 
and  sung  so  much  in  Sunday-schools  in  1860, — 

“ I have  a Father  in  the  promised  land.” 


CHICAGO,  ELGIN,  AND  ROCKWOOD.  235 

There  has  probably  never  been  a meeting  like 
this  in  the  bounds  of  the  conference.  Sinners  came 
flocking  to  the  altar  in  good  earnest  from  time  to 
time^  and  at  almost  every  meeting  many  were  car- 
ried away  in  that  strange,  abnormal,  cataleptic  state 
witnessed  so  often  in  the  early  day.  Old  Method- 
ists speak  of  the  meeting  to  this  day  with  ardent 
words.  No  one  could  have  seen  J.  T.  Mitchell 
there,  and  not  have  marked  him  as  a Methodist 
giant. 

In  1841  H.  AV.  Frink  was  on  the  circuit,  and  in 
1842  John  Crummer  and  Isaac  Searles.  Mr. 
Searles  had  been  received  into  the  conference  in 
1841,  and  appointed  with  W.  Weigley  to  Indian 
Creek.  He  was  in  1844  at  Rock  Island,  in  1845 
at  Union  Grove,  and  in  1846  at  Buffalo  Grove.  In 
1847  he  went  into  the  bounds  of  the  Wisconsin 
Conference,  and  in  1865  still  traveled  in  Wisconsin. 
He  has  served  several  years  as  presiding  elder. 
J.  Crummer  returned  in  1843  with  Wm.  Gaddis, 
the  eloquent,  child-like  Irishman,  as  colleague. 
They  were  followed  in  1844  by  S.  F.  Denning. 
The  circuit  during  these  five  years  saw  many  ups 
and  downs,  suffering  more  for  want  of  churches 
than  from  any  thing  else.  In  1845  we  have  the 
following  additional  appointments  on  the  Sycamore 
Circuit:  Holbrook’s,  Sawin’s,  Temple’s,  Kendall’s 
School-house,  and  Ohio  Grove.  The  preaching  at 
Sycamore  was  in  the  court-house.  The  leaders  were : 
At  White’s  School-house,  E.  F.  White  ; at  Brush 
Point,  Brother  Lafferty  ; at  Genoa,  Brother  Maltby; 
at  Charter  Grove,  Brother  Jewell ; at  Holbrook’s, 


236 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


William  Holbrook.  The  other  leaders  were  Robert 
Robb^  Sawin,  Rowley,  William  Kendall,  William 
Arnold,  Ladd,  and  Daniel  Walrod.  The  local 
preachers  were  Thomas  Woolsey,  a worthy  and 
useful  brother ; William  Holbrook,  Brother  Mal- 
lory, and  Daniel  Walrod,  who  was  leader  at  Syca- 
more. There  were  in  1865  in  the  old  circuit, 
Sycamore,  Chicken  Grove,  Genoa,  and  Kingston 
charges,  not  to  mention  the  new  points  that  have 
grown  up  along  the  Fulton  Railway.  Sycamore, 
several  years  ago,  became  a station,  leaving  all  the 
appointments  of  the  old  circuit  on  the  circuits  just 
mentioned.  A church  was  dedicated  in  1848.  The 
preaching  had  previously  been  in  the  court-house. 


REVIEW  OF  TEE  WORK. 


237 


CHAFTTER  XVII. 

REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  1840  TO  1845. 
CONTINUED. 

Milford  circuit  was  one  of  the  arrange- 
ments of  1839.  In  that  year  the  northern 
portion  of  Ottawa  Circuit,  east  of  Fox  River,  was 
set  off  into  this  new  work,  and  Elihu  Springer  sent 
on  as  preacher.  The  circuit  included  the  country 
from  Milford,  twenty  miles  above  Ottawa,  to  York- 
ville,  and  across  to  Plainfield.  The  west  side  of 
the  river  was  formed  into  Indian  Creek  Circuit,  to 
which  Wesley  Batchellor  was  appointed.  Milford 
began  its  second  year  (1840)  with  the  return  of  E. 
Springer.  The  circuit  was  greatly  blessed  with  a 
good  revival,  when  there  were  many  conversions. 
Plainfield  especially  shared  in  the  glorious  showers 
of  grace.  Such  displays  of  divine  power, says 
S.  R.  Beggs,  we  seldom  see,  as  was  witnessed  both 
among  the  professors  and  the  unconverted.  All  de- 
nominations joined  together  in  the  meeting.^^  The 
year  closed  up  in  1841,  with  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  members,  and  Rufus  Lummery  and  Harvey 
Hadley  appointed  to  the  charge.  Mr.  Hadley  was 
received  into  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1839.  He 
traveled  Vermilion,  Bristol,  and  Princeton  Circuits, 
and  located  in  1843.  Settling  at  Princeton,  he 


238 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


began  the  practice  of  dentistry.  He  was  afterwards 
readmitted^  but^  indulging  in  improper  conduct,  was 
suspended  in  1850,  after  which  he  located,  and  went 
to  California  in  1852  or  1853. 

R.  R.  Wood,  who  was  on  the  circuit  in  1842, 
was  received  into  the  conference  this  year.  He 
passed  into  Wisconsin,  and  in  1848  was  sent  by  his 
presiding  elder  into  the  pineries  of  Black  River. 
A large  settlement  of  laborers  in  that  country  held 
a meeting  to  call  a preacher.  A committee  was  ap- 
pointed, one  of  whom  professed  to  be  an  infidel,  to 
raise  a subscription,  and  each  subscriber  was  to 
name  the  sort  of  preacher  he  desired.  A large,  al- 
most unanimous,  majority  voted  for  a Methodist,  and 
word  was  sent  to  Henry  Summers,  of  the  Plattville 
District,  making  known  their  desires.  The  letter 
said  they  desired  a Methodist,  because  he  would  be 
apt  to  have  more  go-aheaditiveness  about  him 
than  any  other.  R.  R.  Wood  was  sent,  who  v/ent 
into  the  country,  where  there  was  not  one  praying 
soul.  Mr.  Wood  continued  to  travel  for  several 
years,  but  finally  located. 

S.  F.  Denning  was  appointed  to  Milford  in  1843. 
The  parsonage  and  residence  of  the  preacher  was  at 
Plainfield.  The  appointments  were  at  Plainfield; 
Gleason’s  Ridge,  seven  miles  from  Plainfield;  at 
Plattville  on  Sunday  evenings,  at  Brother  Platt’s 
house;  at  Cryder’s,  twelve  miles  south-east  of  Plain- 
field  ; in  Morris,  at  the  court-house ; at  Olmsted’s 
school-house,  twelve  miles  down  the  river  from 
Morris ; at  a school-house  near  Elder  John  Sin- 
clair’s, on  Fox  River;  in  Norwegian  Settlement; 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


239 


at  Milford,  where  there  was  a church  ; Newark  ; in 
school-house  at  Lisbon;  Collins  Grove;  Oswego; 
Groom^s  School-house ; and  at  Tillsworth  Grove. 
Brother  Denning  organized  the  first  class  at  Lisbon, 
consisting  of  seven  members;  Jervis  More,  leader. 
In  1844  Mr.  Denning  was  followed  by  S.  R.  Beggs 
and  John  Hunter,  who  came  into  conference  this 
year,  and  retired  after  trying  the  work  for  one 
year — one  of  the  multitude  of  evanescent  names 
that  get  into  print  in  the  Minutes,  to  disappear  in 
a year  or  more.  Brother  Beggs,  with  soul  of  fire, 
was  then  in  his  prime.  They  had  good  revivals  all 
over  the  cireuit,  especially  in  Plainfield.^^  That 
Plainfield  has  been  from  the  first  one  of  the  favored 
fields  of  Methodism.  Wherever  we  have  done  our 
duty  and  built  churches  we  have  prospered.  The 
bones  of  the  old  hero  of  Methodism,  Jesse  Walker, 
may  well  sleep  in  quietness  in  the  Plainfield  cem- 
etery while  his  sons  in  the  Gospel  speed  the  good 
work.  At  the  end  of  the  year  three  hundred  and 
thirty-five  members  were  reported.  In  1848  there 
were  good  revivals  at  Lisbon  and  Plainfield,  under 
A.  Wooliscroft,  who,  with  James  Leckenby,  was 
appointed  to  the  circuit  in  1847.  In  1848  the  name 
of  the  circuit  was  changed  to  Newark,  and  the 
northern  portion  taken  off  to  form  Plainfield  Cir- 
cuit. Newark,  which  has  ever  since  been  the 
head-quarters  of  a pleasant  and  prosperous  circuit, 
is  a thriving  country  village,  where  there  has  been 
a prosperous  society  for  years.  There  was  an  ap- 
pointment there  in  1843.  The  church,  which  was 
commenced  in  1853,  was  dedicated  by  Hooper  Crews, 


240 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


January  20,  1855.  In  1852  the  preaching  was  in 
the  Congregational  Church,  and  W.  R.  Irvine  lived 
in  the  Methodist  parsonage  there  at  that  time.  It 
is  noted  as  the  boyhood  home  of  Bishop  C.  H. 
Fowler. 

We  left  Joliet  in  1840  in  charge  of  W.  Weigley. 
He  continued  in  charge  two  years,  closing  up  with 
one  hundred  members.  The  work  was  now  a half 
station,  but  a weak  one,  wdth  a few  outside  appoint- 
ments. M.  Bourne,  a young  man  then  in  the  vigor 
of  Christian  zeal,  went  to  Joliet  in  1841,  and  passed 
a profitable  year.  The  circuit  embraced  Hickory 
Creek,  Brother  King^s,  and  Aaron  Morels.  There 
was  a small  church  at  Joliet  in  good  repair,  with 
about  forty  members.  The  leading  men  were  Mr. 
O’Hardy,  Mr.  McCollum,  Levi  Jenks,and  Mr.  Mack. 
^^Men  of  the  right  stamp,’’  says  their  preacher, 
^Svhole-souled ; paid  twenty-five  to  sixty  dollars 
apiece.”  In  1842  the  place  went  into  the  large 
circuit,  in  which  condition  it  continued  till  1851. 

Brother  Bourne  was  followed  by  E.  Springer 
and  SiMOX  K.  Lemox,  a useful  young  brother,  who 
was  received  into  conference  in  1841,  and  who  trav- 
eled, besides  Joliet,  Wilmington,  Princeton,  and 
Prophetstown  Circuits,  and  who  located  in  1846.  In 
1843  S.  R.  Beggs,  Levi  Jenks,  and  James  Leck- 
enby,  a zealous  trio,  w^ere  sent  to  the  circuit,  which 
embraced  Joliet,  Channahon,  Jackson’s  Grove, 
Reed’s  Grove,  Wilmington,  Forked  Creek,  Rock 
Creek,  Bourbonois  Grove,  Bebee’s,  Yellow  Head 
(at  which  place  they  preached  in  Brother  Morrison’s 
house),  Crete  or  Thorn  Creek,  Owen’s,  Francis’, 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


241 


Hickory  Creek,  and  Lockport, — a large  six-weeks’ 
circuit,  being  nearly  identical  with  the  present 
Joliet  District.  It  was  a year  of  great  religious 
interest ; revivals  were  general.  The  members  were 
in  the  spirit  of  the  work,  and  united  heartily  with 
the  preachers.  At  Reed’s  Grove  Brother  Beggs 
commenced  a meeting,  which  continued  about  three 
weeks.  It  was  in  progress  but  a few  days,  when 
the  cloud”  began  to  rise,  and  the  inquiry  seemed 
to  be  general  among  the  hardest  cases,  What  must 
I do  to  be  saved?”  ^^I  asked  one  man,”  says 
Brother  Beggs,  how  he  felt  about  his  soul’s  wel- 
fare. He  answered,  ^ I feel  first-rate.’  ” The 
preacher  besought  him  to  seek  the  Lord.  When 
he  left  his  convictions  were  so  deep  he  concluded, 
the  next  morning,  which  was  the  Sabbath,  he  would 
work  his  conviction  off;  but  he  had  no  power  to 
shove  the  plane.  He  left  his  work  to  spend  the 
day  with  as  hard  a case  as  himself ; but  his  friend 
had  gone  to  the  meeting.  His  only  chance  for  com- 
pany was  at  the  meeting,  and  that  evening  he,  with 
many  others,  was  forward  for  prayers,  and  before  the 
meeting  closed  he  was  powerfully  converted.  He 
arose  to  speak,  and  said : Brother  Beggs  asked 

me  last  evening  how  I felt.  I told  him  I felt  first- 
rate  ; but  I lied.  I did  not  feel  first-rate ; I felt 
miserable !”  There  was  one  person,  who  was  very 
serious  and  sincere,  forward  for  prayers,  who  would 
not  kneel.  He  said  if  the  Lord  would  convert  him 
at  all,  he  could  do  it  as  well  while  he  was  sitting 
as  though  he  were  kneeling.  And  there  he  sat, 

night  after  night,  until  the  meeting  closed,  and  then 

21 


242 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


he  went  away^  apparently  unsaved.  When  we  set 
the  Lord  terms^  we  generally  fail ! The  meeting 
closed  with  thirty  conversions.  The  preacher  hast- 
ened home  to  make  some  provisions  for  his  family, 
and  then  hastened  to  Brother  Francises,  on  Hickory 
Creek,  to  begin  the  conflict  in  that  quarter.  He  set 
to  work  on  Friday  evening,  and  at  ten  o^clock  Mon- 
day the  good  work  began.  The  private  house  in 
which  the  meetings  were  held  became  too  small, 
and  the  meetings  were  moved  to  a new  house, 
just  sided  up,  belonging  to  a Brother  Cooper. 
Although  it  was  very  cold,  by  placing  a large  stove 
in  the  center  of  the  room,  and  keeping  up  a good 
fire  in  the  fireplace,  they  managed  to  keep  warm. 
They  cared  not  to  be  saving  of  wood;  for  it  was 
not  then  ten  dollars  a cord.  The  meeting  was  glo- 
rious. One  large  woman,  all  at  once,  commenced 
raising  her  hands  and  bringing  them  down  upon 
her  lap  with  great  violence,  exclaiming,  I am 
lost ! I am  lost ! lost  No  one  could  make  her 
hear  a word,  and  long  her  anguish  continued.  At 
last  she  was  powerfully  converted,  which  she  soon 
made  known,  now  by  tears,  then  by  shouts  of 
thanksgiving.  The  meeting  closed  in  a week  with 
fifty  conversions.  The  converts  all  joined  the 
Church ; for  Brother  Beggs  gave  opportunity  to 
join  as  fast  as  they  were  converted. 

While  Brother  Beggs  held  these  meetings  the 
other  preachers  were  having  great  success  on  other 
portions  of  the  circuit.  After  closing  at  Hickory 
Creek,  Mr.  Beggs  rested  one  day,  and  then  set  to 
work,  commencing  on  Friday  evening  at  Lockport. 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


243 


The  meeting  there  at  first  was  dry  and  dull.  The 
Congregationalists  had  been  holding  a meeting, 
with  poor  success,  and  the  wicked  were  prophesying 
that  Mr.  Beggs  would  fail  also.  By  the  kindness 
of  Mr.  Porter,  pastor  of  the  Congregationalist  soci- 
ety, the  meetings  were  held  in  their  church.  The 
members  took  hold,  and  after  a few  evenings  the 
shout  of  the  King  was  heard  in  the  camp,^^  and  the 
work  commenced  in  earnest.  Brother  Beggs  found 
his  greatest  success  was  in  visiting  from  house  to 
house,  talking  and  praying  with  the  people.  One 
night,  after  meeting,  the  preacher  was  snugly  sleep- 
ing at  the  house  of  Dr.  Wise,  when  a messenger 
came  to  arouse  him.  He  went  to  Joel  Manning's, 
and  found  Jane  Manning  pleading  for  pardon. 
They  began  a prayer-meeting,  which  was  kept  up 
till  a late  hour ; but  the  pleading  penitent  did  not 
find  peace.  Herself  and  sister,  however,  were  con- 
verted before  the  meeting  broke  up.  Jane  has  since 
gone  to  her  heavenly  home,  dying  happy  in  the 
Lord.  For  miles  up  the  river  the  people  came 
down  to  the  meeting,  and  found  peace  in  believing. 
Brother  Shoemaker,  at  Reed^s  Grove,  was  hauling 
grain  to  Chicago.  He  would  put  up  four  miles 
above  Lockport,  on  his  way  to  the  city,  come  down 
to  the  meeting,  sing  and  pray  and  labor,  the  next 
day  would  go  on  to  Chicago,  and  return  to  the 
meeting  at  night.  The  next  day  he  would  go 
home  for  his  load,  and  be  back  at  the  meeting  in 
the  evening.  He  continued  this  routine  for  a week 
or  two.  Such  is  the  love  of  a converted  man  for  a 
glorious  meeting ! The  good  work  went  on  at 


244 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Lockport  for  two  weeks,  resulting  in  about  thirty 
conversions.  Levi  Jenks  held  a successful  meeting 
at  Channahon,  and  S.  R.  Beggs  at  Morrison^s,  at 
Yellow  Head.  From  these  meetings  the  preachers 
and  people  gathered  at  Joliet  for  a quarterly- 
meeting. S.  H.  Stocking,  the  elder,  preached  with 
power,  and,  an  opportunity  being  given,  mourners 
came  forward,  and  a glorious  revival  followed. 
The  year  ended  with  an  increase  of  ninety-four 
members. 

Princeton  in  1840  received  J.  M.  Snow  as 
preacher,  and  in  1841  Wesley  Batchellor  and  Mr. 
Snow  were  the  preachers.  In  1842  Harvey  Hadley 
and  S.  F.  Denning  were  appointed  to  the  work. 
Mr.  Denning  had  just  been  received  on  a recom- 
mendation from  Princeton  charge,  and  will  fre- 
quently appear  in  these  pages.  He  exchanged  the 
relation  of  class-leader  at  Princeton  for  that  of 
preacher. 

The  appointments  on  Princeton  Circuit  in  1842 
were  at  Princeton;  Center  Grove;  West  Bureau; 
near  Solomon  Sapp^s,  where  they  built  a new  church 
this  year ; Tiskilwa  School-house  ; French  Grove, 
seventeen  miles  west  of  Princeton ; at  Father  Ellises, 
six  miles  north  of  Princeton ; Master’s  School- 
house  ; in  Knox’s  house,  at  Knox  Grove ; at  Brother 
Hart’s  house,  five  miles  north  of  Lamoille ; Troy 
Grove  School-house ; at  a village  south  side  of 
Troy  Grove ; at  Searles’s  settlement,  eight  miles 
east  of  Princeton;  and  Green  River,  twenty  miles 
west  of  Princeton.  It  was  a year  of  long  rides 
and  sufficient  labor,  and  of  some  prosperity.  The 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


245 


next  year  (1843)  H.  Hadley  continued  in  charge, 
with  S.  K.  Lemon  as  colleague.  A church  was 
commenced  in  Princeton  in  1844,  which  was  in- 
closed and  partly  finished,  so  that  it  was  soon  used 
as  a place  of  worship.  Methodism  there  has  had 
to  make  its  way  against  many  discouragements, 
until  1864,  when  the  society  worshiped  in  a humble 
house  fronting  on  a lane.  Besides,  the  place  was 
largely  settled  by  New  Englanders,  and  Owen  Love- 
joy,  being  the  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
gave  that  denomination  the  ascendency.  When  our 
Church  was  trammeled  with  slavery,  our  preachers, 
as  was  to  be  expected,  met  with  much  opposition  in 
Abolition  Princeton.  But  at  length  the  Methodism 
of  Princeton  has  redeemed  itself  by  the  erection 
of  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  the  country. 

In  1850  George  Lovesee  preached  two  Sabbaths 
out  of  three  in  Princeton.  The  out  appointments 
were  Dover,  West  Bureau,  Sinclair  Chapel  (com- 
pleted in  1850),  Applegate’s  Church  (of  logs),  and 
Esquire  Searles’s.  Under  direction  of  their  pastor, 
W.  C.  Willing,  a very  neat  and  commodious  church 
was  built  in  1864.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  July 
24, 1863;  address  by  Rev.  C.  H.  Fowler;  dedicated 
by  T.  M.  Eddy  and  J.  H.  Vincent,  January  23, 
1864.  At  the  close  of  this  year  (1864)  the  follow- 
ing report  was  made  by  the  pastor : One  hundred 
and  forty-nine  members,  a church  worth  $12,000, 
mission  money  collected,  $53.00,  and  a Sunday- 
school  with  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  scholars. 
The  society  began  the  year  1864  with  an  efficient 
pastor,  N.  H.  Axtel.  One  of  their  most  active  men 


246 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


died  in  December,  1864.  George  H.  Phelps,  son  of 
Rev.  A.  E.  Phelps,  was  superintendent,  steward,  and 
general  worker,  and  in  his  death  the  Church  met 
with  a serious  loss.  Since  then  the  Princeton  ap- 
pointment has  been  one  of  the  best.  The  confer- 
ence met  there  in  1877. 

Buffalo  Grove,  at  the  time  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant appointments  in  the  conference,  received  in 
1840  Asa  McMurtry  and  Richard  A.  Blanchard  as 
preachers.  Mr.  Blanchard  was  raised  in  Western 
New  York,  as  we  have  seen,  and  came  to  the  Mt. 
Morris  Conference  with  recommendations  from 
Lima  Seminary,  in  which  institution  he  had  spent 
some  time  in  study,  preparing  for  the  ministry.  He 
was  admitted  this  year,  thus  beginning  his  minis- 
terial career  with  the  history  of  the  conference. 
From  this  time  he  will  often  appear  in  our  pages. 
Never  brilliant  as  a preacher,  he  has  performed 
most  eflScient  service  in  building  up  societies,  in 
conducting  revival  meetings,  and  as  a presiding 
elder.  Ever  safe,  ever  on  hand,  he  was  one  of  the 
reliable  men  of  the  conference. 

The  appointments  were,  in  1841,  at  Buffalo 
Grove,  where  there  was  a class  of  thirty  in  1840; 
Mt.  Morris;  AVestfield;  Byron;  North  Grove 
School-house,  where,  in  1847,  the  writer  made  his 
first  attempt  at  preaching ; Leaf  River ; Oregon ; 
Grand  de  Tour ; Elkhorn  Grove ; Pine  Creek ; Gap 
Grove ; and  Stirling.  In  1842  the  name  was 
changed  to  Mt.  Morris;  but,  the  circuit  being  di- 
vided in  1843,  there  continued  to  be  a Buffalo 
Grove  Circuit,  and  the  name  appears  regularly  on 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


247 


the  Minutes  until  1857.  About  1853  the  Central 
Railway  commenced  running  its  cars  through  the 
center  of  the  circuit.  The  young  stations,  becom- 
ing centers,  absorbed  the  classes,  and  by  1857  the 
work  assumed  an  entirely  new  phase.  Polo  sprung 
up  about  a mile  and  a half  from  old  Buffalo  Vil- 
lage, near  the  home  of  George  Wilcoxon,  and, 
though  there  was  a church -and  parsonage  at  Buf- 
falo, the  appointment  was  moved  to  Polo.  The 
western  portion  received  the  name  of  Milledgeville 
Circuit,  and  Buffalo  Grove  as  an  appointment  dis- 
appears. The  appointments  of  the  circuit  in  1853, 
before  it  had  been  disturbed  by  the  new  towns, 
were  at  Buffalo  Grove,  Eagle  Point,  Stevens’s 
Church,  Black-oak  Grove,  Stirling,  Como,  Sugar 
Grove,  and  Canada  Settlement. 

Galena,  discouraged,  with  an  unfinished  church 
and  a heavy  debt  on  hand,  received  from  the  Mt. 
Morris  Conference  one  of  the  most  efficient  minis- 
ters of  the  day  in  the  person  of  Josiah  W.  Whipple. 
He  was  the  Peter  Borein  of  the  western  part  of  the 
conference,  and  was  a retiring,  agreeable,  pious  man, 
and  an  efficient  worker.  During  the  year  efforts 
were  made  to  complete  the  church.  A meeting  of 
the  male  members  was  called  one  afternoon,  when 
it  was  agreed  that  each  lay  member  should  raise 
fifty  dollars  towards  the  church.  Besides  this,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  collect  money  from  out- 
siders. The  work  was  resumed,  and  in  the  Summer 
of  1841  the  brick  church,  which,  in  the  Summer  of 
1861,  was  used  by  the  United  Presbyterians,  was 
finished,  and  at  a quarterly-meeting  dedicated  by 


248 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


John  Clark^  the  presiding  elder.  Some  of  the 
funds  were  collected  in  different  parts  of  the  con- 
ference by  Brother  Whipple.  A camp-meeting  was 
held  in  1841,  near  Galena,  supported  by  Galena 
and  the  Apple  River  Circuit.  Mr.  Whipple  com- 
menced the  year  with  sixty-eight  members,  and 
closed  with  eighty-four,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rob- 
ert Y.  McReynolds,  who  continued  in  the  charge 
but  a portion  of  the  year,  leaving  the  place  to  be 
supplied  by  local  preachers.  In  1842  H.  W.  Reed, 
the  pioneer  of  Iowa  Methodism,  was  preacher;  in 

1843,  Sias  Bolles.  During  the  year  Brother  Bolles 
was  at  Galena  a gracious  revival  pervaded  the  city. 
For  many  weeks  in  1844  the  church  was  crowded 
every  evening.  Over  two  hundred  persons  were 
added  to  the  Church,  so  that  three  hundred  and 
thirty  members  were  reported  at  conference  in  1844, 
at  the  end  of  Brother  Bolles’s  year.  This  great  in- 
crease induced  a movement  to  form  a second  charge ; 
but  the  attempt  proved  unsuccessful  for  the  time. 

Fkancis  T.  Mitchell  succeeded  Sias  Bolles  in 

1844.  He  was  a brother  of  James  and  John  T. 
Mitchell,  and  had  been  admitted  to  the  conference 
in  1841,  being  appointed  to  Kenosha.  Galena  was 
his  last  charge  in  the  conference.  He  located  in 
1847,  and  some  time  after  emigrated  to  Missouri. 
There  he  became  one  of  the  most  eloquent  political 
orators  of  the  State,  running  for  Congress  in  1859 
on  what  was  called  the  Union  ticket,  against  the 
more  ultra  Democrats,  but  was  not  elected.  That 
is  the  last  we  have  known  of  him. 

The  new  circuits  constituted  between  1840  and 


BEVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


249 


1845  were  Lake,  Wheeling,  Naperville,  Lockport, 
Portland,  and  Stevenson,  in  1840;  Belvidere,  Sugar 
River,  Peru,  Mt.  Morris,  and  Union  Grove,  in  1842; 
Daysville  or  Lighthouse,  in  1843;  and  Dundee,  St. 
Charles,  McHenry,  and  Beebe^s  Grove,  in  1844. 

A class  was  organized  on  North  Prairie,  in  the 
town  of  Benton,  Lake  County,  in  October,  1837, 
consisting  of  ten  members,  and  preaching  was  sup- 
plied them  from  Racine  Mission.  There  was  preach- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  as  early  as  the  Summer  of 
1836,  and  we  have  seen  that  the  Des  Plaines  Circuit 
in  1837  extended  from  Aurora,  on  Fox  River,  up  to 
the  north-east  corner  of  the  State.  There  were  sev- 
eral appointments  in  Lake  County,  along  the  Des 
Plaines ; but  in  1839  it  is  probable  most  of  these 
were  embraced  in  the  Southport  (Kenosha)  Mission. 
Lake  Circuit  in  1840  embraced  all  Lake  County, 
with  William  Gaddis  as  the  preacher.  In  1847  the 
name  was  changed  to  Little  Fort,  and  S.  F.  Den- 
ning and  James  Selking  as  a supply  were  the 
preachers.  Little  Fort,  which  in  1849  became 
Waukegan,  was  a little  village  that  had  had  a name 
since  1835.  In  1840  it  became  one  of  the  chief 
appointments  on  the  circuit,  and  gave  name  to  the 
charge.  The  appointments  for  1847  were  Wau- 
kegan, Brookline,  North  Prairie,  East  Class,  Peekes 
Class  (at  Millbrook),  Underwood’s  School-house, 
Libertyville,  Angola  School-house,  Sand  Lake  (in 
a log  school-house).  Fox  Lake,  Loon  Lake,  Fort 
Hill,  and  Antioch.  In  1849  Waukegan  became  a 
station,  and  the  name  of  the  circuit  was  changed 
to  Libertyville,  which  name  it  retained  until  1855, 


250 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


when  the  work  was  divided  by  a line  running 
directly  west  from  Waukegan.  Previous  to  the 
division  there  was  a parsonage  at  Libertyville 
and  a small  church,  the  only  Methodist  church  in 
Lake  County  outside  Waukegan.  At  the  division 
in  1855  the  southern  half  retained  the  old  name 
Libertyville,  and  retained  Elijah  Stone  as  preacher ; 
the  northern  half  was  called  Antioch,  and  A.  D. 
Field  appointed  to  the  work.  The  name  was 
changed  to  the  old,  time-honored  Lake  Circuit 
in  1857,  and  has  ever  since  retained  nearly  the  same 
form.  In  1855  the  preaching-places  were  at  Ben- 
ton, in  the  Simmons  neighborhood,  where  they  had 
worshiped  for  years  in  an  old  frame  school-house. 
During  the  Winter  of  1856  a neat  new  school-house, 
fitted  for  Church  purposes,  was  built.  The  mem- 
bers were  : Harrison  L.  Putnam,  a very  efficient 
Church  worker ; I.  Simmons  and  family,  G.  S.  Day, 
and  others,  at  a school-house  five  miles  north-west 
of  Waukegan,  called  York  House.  There  had  been 
a tavern  at  this  place  in  the  early  day,  called  by  this 
name.  During  the  Summer  we  changed  the  ap- 
pointment to  the  Baptist  church.  Joseph  Ware,  an 
old  New  York  Methodist,  formerly  from  the  Isle  of 
Man,  and  Daniel  Ware,  his  son,  were  the  leading 
members.  The  class  is  since  broken  up,  the  mem- 
bers going  to  Waukegan  to  Church.  The  third  ap- 
pointment was  on  the  Sand  Ridge,  in  a frame  school- 
house,  five  miles  directly  north  of  Waukegan.  Here 
was  a class  of  efficient  workers,  chiefly  English,  • 
several  of  them  Youman  by  name.  The  fourth  ap- 
pointment was  at  Hiekory  Post-office,  where  there 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


251 


was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  societies. 
The  school-house  was  burned  during  the  year  by 
persons  who  thought  it  not  in  the  right  place/  and 
a new  board  concern  was  put  up.  Here  were  ex- 
cellent class-meetings.  Brothers  G.  H.  Webb,  Sam- 
uel Hall,  and  William  Wells,  with  their  families, 
were  the  chief  members.  The  next  preaching-place 
was  at  Sand  Lake,  where  George  Shottswell  was 
leader.  Here  were  some  of  the  best  and  most  faith- 
ful members  we  ever  met  with.  We  worshiped  in 
an  old  log  school-house,  in  which  we  had  many  fine 
meetings.  W.  W.  Peck,  A.  Smith,  and  the  leader 
above  mentioned  were  the  leading  members.  Many 
of  them  enjoyed  the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the 
Gospel  of  peace.  The  other  appointments  were 
at  Richardses  School-house,  Antioch,  and  at  Fox 
Lake,  where  there  was  quite  a revival  in  the 
Winter  of  1856.  During  a portion  of  the  year 
Richard  K.  Anderson,  a very  efficient  brother,  just 
from  Cherry  Street,  New  York,  labored  as  a supply. 
A portion  of  the  time  the  local  preacher,  T.  D. 
Gail,  and  Mr.  Anderson  worked  on  a regular  plan. 
In  1857  a parsonage  was  built  at  Sand  Lake^  and 
in  1864  the  preacher  in  charge  reported  two 'hun- 
dred and  forty  members,  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars mission  money,  five  Sunday-schools,  with  two 
hundred  and  forty  scholars. 

Wheeling  is  an  old  town,  about  fifteen  miles 
north-west  of  Chicago.  From  time  to  timo^it  gave 
name  to  a circuit  embracing  the  country  around. 
William  Royal,  when  on  the  Fox  River  Mission  in 
1835,  formed  the  class  at  Wheeling,  in  the  Summer 


252 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


of  1836.  The  names  of  the  members  were  Charles 
Wisencraft  (leader)  and  wife,  Bradwell  and  wife, 
and  a Sister  Filkins.  In  1845  the  name  was 
changed  to  Elk  Grove,  and  again  to  Wheeling, 
which  name  it  retained  till  1858,  when  the  old 
and  honorable  circuit  became  divided  up  into  new 
charges.  In  1857  the  appointments  Avere  at  Elk 
Grove  Church,  Avhere  there  was  a great  revival 
under  Thomas  Cochran  during  the  year ; Deer  Grove 
School-house ; Barrington^s  School-house ; school- 
house  at  Lake  Zurich;  in  Wauconda  Church;  Fair- 
field  Church ; in  a school -house  at  Palatine,  where 
there  was  a glorious  revival,  and  where  the  preacher 
organized  the  first  class  and  commenced  building  a 
church  in  1858;  at  Dunton,  in  the  chamber  of  an 
old  store,  where  there  was  a class  organized  this 
year;  and  at  Buffalo  Grove  School-house.  During 
the  year  a camp-meeting  was  held  on  John  Clarkes 
farm,  in  Fairfield,  where  many  were  converted.  The 
circuits  from  1840  to  1858  included  most  of  the 
country  through  which  the  gigantic  North-western 
Railway  runs,  from  Chicago  to  Fox  River.  It  is 
now  cut  up  into  as  many  as  a dozen  small  charges. 

Portland  is  another  of  those  charges  that  ap- 
peared in  the  period  Ave  are  revicAving.  It  AA^as 
constituted  a circuit  at  the  conference  of  1840,  and 
William  Vallette  sent  on  as  preacher.  This  charge, 
Avhich  in  1848  took  the  name  of  Prophetstown,  em- 
braced 4he  settlements  along  the  east  side  of  Rock 
River,  from  ProphetstoAvn  down  to  the  Rock  Island 
Railway.  It  has  had  some  of  the  best  laborers  and 
labors,  but  has  seen  many  hard  days.  The  appoint- 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


253 


ments  have  usually  been  in  poor  school-houses,  and 
by  some  means  there  have  been  few  improvements 
in  the  country,  so  that  the  old  Prophetstown  Cir- 
cuit from  1840  to  1860  remained  stereotyped.  The 
only  thing  of  note  in  that  period  was  the  building 
of  a fine  church  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  cir- 
cuit in  1860,  near  the  Rock  Island  Railway, 

Among  the  circuits  appearing  in  1842  was  Sugar 
River,  with  Alfred  M.  Early,  who  had  been  re- 
ceived into  the  conference  the  year  before,  as 
preacher.  The  circuit  embraced  all  that  country 
lying  around  Harrison,  Shirland,  and  Durand.  One 
of  the  best  appointments  was  in  the  Seaton  neigh- 
borhood near  the  present  Shirland  Station,  where 
there  has  been  a class  and  preaching  since  1837. 
The  appointments  were  in  the  Freeport  Circuit  of 
the  year  before,  many  of  the  appointments  being 
established  by  James  McKean  in  1836.  In  a few 
years  the  name  was  changed  to  Medina,  and  has 
since,  like  most  of  the  old  circuits,  been  broken  up 
into  small  charges.  In  1843  there  were  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  members. 

Peru  has  had  a curious  fate.  Sometimes  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Society  has  prospered,  some- 
times  languished.  It  first  appeared  in  connection 
with  Ottawa  in  1842,  and  as  a separate  charge,  with 
John  W.  Agard  as  preacher,  in  1845.  There  was  a 
preaching  appointment  there  and  at  Lasalle,  two 
miles  east  of  Peru,  in  1833,  but  when  the  class  at 
Peru  was  first  organized  we  can  not  tell.  When 
we  visited  the  place  in  1848  there  was  a little  frame 
church,  uncouth  and  dingy.  The  town  itself  was 


254 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


given  to  billiard  tables,  which  were  displayed  as 
openly  as  a fruiterer^s  tables. 

When  R.  A.  Blanchard  went  to  Peru  in  1850 
there  were  only  about  forty  members,  and  few  of 
these  had  any  means.  The  little  church  had  been 
built  about  twelve  years.  It  was  inclosed  and 
whitewashed  outside  and  plastered  within.  But 
there  was  no  altar,  and  no  seats  but  old-fashioned 
benches  with  no  backs;  no  lights  but  candles,  and 
the  house  as  untidy  as  a hotel  kitchen.  At  the  first 
meeting  there  was  a congregation  of  about  thirty. 
At  the  close  of  the  first  sermon  the  preacher  told 
the  society  he  had  come  to  try  to  do  them  good  and 
build  up  the  church.  They  expected  him  to  call 
out  a congregation,  but  this  he  said  no  man  could 
do  with  such  a house.  He  said  it  was  not  worth 
while  for  him  to  stay  at  their  expense  unless  some- 
thing could  be  done,  but  if  they  would  finish  the 
house  he  would  stay  and  do  the  best  he  could. 
Frederick  Day,  the  only  member  who  had  any 
property,  told  Mr.  Blanchard  to  get  lumber  and 
workmen  on  his  account  and  fit  up  the  place  to 
suit  himself.  By  Monday  night  lumber  and  w^ork- 
men  were  on  the  spot.  The  church  was  finished 
up  by  the  time  the  first  quarterly-meeting  came  on, 
and  during  the  year  there  was  a full  attendance  and 
many  additions  to  the  Church. 

After  this  things  went  on  at  their  usual  rate 
until  1853,  when  the  society  undertook  grand  things. 
Hon.  Martin  P.  Sweet,  who  had  been  in  New 
York  a De  Ruyter  Perfectionist’^  preacher,  settled 
as  a prominent  lawyer  at  Freeport.  He  became  a 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


255 


leading  political  orator,  and  once  or  twice  ran  for 
Congress,  but  being  so  unlucky  as  to  be  on  the 
wrong  ticket  always  he  never  went  to  Washington 
unless  as  a^Mobby^’  member.  We  have  a charge 
against  that  district,  for  by  refusing  to  send  Sweet 
to  Congress  they  gave  to  the  Rock  River  Confer- 
ence an  unfitting  preacher.  In  1851  there  was  a 
sweeping  revival  at  Freeport,  and  Martin  P.  Sweet 
joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Imme- 
diately he  came  to  conference  for  admission.  Being 
received  he  at  once  took  a popular  position  in  the 
Church.  At  Peru  in  1853  he  drew  the  crowd  after 
him  and  things  began  to  look  up.  The  feeble  so- 
ciety, relying  on  the  outside  tide  to  float  them  over 
all  bars,  set  about  building  a grand  church  which 
could  never  be  completed.  Debts  accumulated  too 
heavy  to  be  met,  and  the  days  of  Peru  Methodism 
for  the  time  were  numbered.  The  society  lingered 
along,  having  the  efficient  E.  Q.  Fuller  in  1857, 
fresh  from  the  Northwestern  editorial  office,  and  the 
impetuous  D.  C.  Howard  in  1858,  until  the  church 
was  sold  and  the  name  of  Peru  left  out  of  the  Min- 
utes. But  Peru  Methodism  must  be  resurrected.  That 
standard  that  falls  before  no  difficulties  must,  car- 
ried by  a conquering  hand,  again  be  planted  on  the 
Peruvian  walls.  May  the  great  head  of  the  Church 
grant  this  result.  This  refers  to  1865. 

In  1843  the  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit  was  divided 
and  the  eastern  portion  called  Mt.  Moeris  Cir- 
cuit, with  C.  N.  Wager  as  preacher.  There  was  an 
appointment  and  a class  in  the  Maryland  Settle- 
ment, and  a good  school  in  1838.  The  neighbor- 


256 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


hood  of  Mt.  Morris  was  settled  by  people  from 
Maryland;  and  the  village  was  laid  out  and  named 
in  1839;  after  the  site  of  the  Rock  River  Seminary 
was  fixed  at  its  present  location.  The  seminary 
building  was  put  up  in  1841  and  the  chapel  in  the 
basement  became  a convenient  church.  The  his- 
tory of  Methodism  in  Mt.  Morris  and  that  of  Rock 
River  Seminary  are  so  closely  interwoven  they  are 
one.  From  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  cir- 
cuit in  1843  for  fifteen  years  or  more  the  charge 
had  about  the  same  limits. 

There  were  appointments  at  Oregon;  Byron;  Leaf 
River;  North  Grove;  and  Mt.  MorriS;  at  each  of 
which  places  there  were  large  and  prosperous  classes. 
In  these  out  appointments  many  of  the  men  of  the 
Rock  River  Conference  made  their  first  attempts  at 
preaching  while  students  at  the  seminary.  North 
Grove  was  especially  the  place  of  commencement 
of  many.  The  first  sermon  of  the  present  writer 
was  preached  there  in  July  of  1847.  The  text  waS; 

Lord;  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?^^  Losing 
command  of  ourself  we  plunged  about;  wildly  run- 
ning over  the  whole  Bible  for  matter;  and  so  thor- 
oughly was  all  material  for  sermonizing  used  up  the 
heart-stricken  preacher  hardly  knew  where  another 
sermon  was  to  come  from.  H.  L.  Martin  also  began 
his  useful  career  in  the  old  long  log  school-house. 
Mt.  Morris  after  the  first  conference  was  held  there 
at  once  became  one  of  the  main  appointments. 
.There  were  first  undertaken  systematic  missionary 
operations.  In  1847  the  Mt.  Morris  class  alone 
raised  one  hundred  dollars,  which  was  a notable 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


257 


sum  for  those  days.  In  July,  1849,  Bishop  Janes, 
after  preaching  a graceful  sermon,  laid  the  corner- 
stone of  a church,  but  at  the  conference  of  1850 
there  came  a proposition  from  the  citizens  to  put 
four  thousand  dollars  into  a seminary  building  if 
the  conference  would  pledge  the  same  amount.  The 
conference  in  a furor  pledged  the  sum  required, 
and  the  larger  and  newer  building  was  erected. 
The  conference,  however,  we  fear  did  not  meet  its 
engagement.  The  new  building  inclosed  a church, 
which  has  -ever  since  been  used  by  the  Mt.  Morris 
Society.  This  chapel  was  dedicated  on  the  last 
Sabbath  of  June,  1854,  Clark  T>  Hinman  preaching 
the  sermon. 

That  chapel,  as  well  as  the  old,  has  been  the 
scene  of  many  a revival  time.  Perhaps  the  most 
powerful  was  in  1858.  The  official  members  had 
received  their  preacher,  R.  A.  Blanchard,  with  an 
ill  grace,  and  spirit  rappers  were  let  into  the  chapel 
on  the  regular  meeting  hours.  Things  looked  dark, 
but  all  at  once,  without  any  special  effort,  to  the 
astonishment  of  all,  mourners  began  to  seek  religion. 
The  work  went  on  until  thirty  or  forty  would  be 
found  at  the  altar  at  once.  During  the  Winter  over 
two  hundred  professed  religion,  eighty  of  whom 
were  students.  The  preacher  began  the  year  with 
one  hundred  and  twenty  members,  and  closed  with 
three  hundred  and  thirteen. 

In  1842  the  Savannah  Circuit,  which  was  some 
sixty  miles  in  length,  was  divided,  and  the  southern 
portion  called  Union  Grove.  Union  Grove  vil- 
lage stood  a mile  and  a half  west  of  Morrison,  and 

22 


258 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


was  one  of  the  first  villages  of  that  country,  and 
around  it  was  one  of  the  most  important  neighbor- 
hoods of  the  region.  There  was  an  appointment 
there  as  early  as  1840,  and  a parsonage  as  early  as 
1845.  The  circuit  in  1842  lay  mostly  in  White- 
sides  County,  and  had  appointments  at  Union  Grove, 
where  the  church  was  built  in  1855,  at  Lyndon, 
Kingsbury  Grove,  Erie,  Albany,  and  Fulton. 
Chester  Campbell  was  the  first  preacher  of  the  cir- 
cuit. He  preached,  as  was  usual  at  that  day,  in 
school-houses  at  most  of  the  appointments. 

Previous  to  1843  the  Dixon  Circuit  embraced 
all  the  territory  in  the  Amboy,  Lee  Center,  Ogle, 
and  Light  House  charges.  In  1843  Light  House 
Point  Circuit  was  constituted,  and  called  Daysvillc 
for  a year  or  two.  Rockford  was  reached  in  1836 
by  the  preacher  whose  head-quarters  were  near  Ot- 
tawa, but  the  Light  House  country  was  first  visited 
by  preachers  from  Buffalo  Grove.  They  began 
preaching  at  Washington  Grove  in  the  Fall  of  1836. 
The  country  for  miles  around  was  settled  by  people 
from  Lower  Canada,  many  of  whom  were  Metho- 
dists. A log  chapel  was  built  on  the  prairie  be- 
tween Washington  and  Lafayette  Groves  in  1836, 
and  James  McKean  was  about  the  first  one  who 
preached  in  it.  It  was  burned  down,  it  was  sup- 
posed by  some  one  out  of  spite,  in  1838,  and  soon 
after  a small  frame  church,  twenty  by  twenty-six  feet, 
was  erected  on  the  same  site.  The  log  church  was 
the  third  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Confer- 
ence, and  the  frame  of  1838  the  fifth  one.  Churches 
had  been  built  at  Galena  in  1833,  at  Chicago  in 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


259 


1834,  and  at  Joliet  and  Plainfield  in  1837.  The 
members  in  the  neighborhood  in  1839  were  Isaac 
Rosecrans  and  wife,  Thomas  Stoddard  and  wife.  Dr. 
Roe  and  wife,  Aaron  Wood  and  wife,  Henry  Far- 
well  and  wife,  parents  of  John  V.,  Charles  B.,  and 
Simeon  Farwell,  prominent  citizens  of  Chicago. 
There  was  preaching  at  the  ^^old  chapel,^^  and  at 
Light  House  in  Dr.  Roe^s  dwelling.  The  circuit  in 

1843  received  L.  S.  Walker.  There  were  appoint- 
ments before  he  left  the  work  at  Light  House; 
^^Old  Chapel  Jefferson  Grove,  two  miles  west  of 
Lane ; Hickory  Grove  (now  Lane) ; Killbuck 
(Linnville) ; Stillman,  at  McBride’s  School-house ; 
Daysville;  Payne’s  Point;  and  White  Rock.  In 

1844  Brother  Walker  built  a fine  brick  parsonage 
at  Light  House.  A church  was  built  at  the  same 
place  by  Mr.  Woodcock  in  1846  of  grout,  a mate- 
rial in  very  common  use  in  those  days.  In  1856, 
when  H.  L.  Martin  was  on  the  Light  House  charge, 
neat  churches  were  built  and  dedicated  at  Stillman 
and  Payne’s  Point. 

The  church  at  Payne’s  Point  was  dedicated  De- 
cember 8,  1856,  by  Luke  Hitchcock.  From  the 
time  of  the  dedication  a good  work  began,  which 
ended  in  a great  revival.  The  appointments  in  1856 
were  at  the  Sprowl  School-house,  Franklin,  Light- 
house, Old  Chapel,  Mt.  Pleasant  School-house,  Ogle, 
Lane,  Jefferson’s  Grove,  Brady’s  Grove,  near  De- 
ment, Payne’s  Point,  and  Stillman.  This  is  the  last 
year  the  circuit  covered  all  this  old  territory.  The 
next  year  it  was  contracted  in  size  with  appoint- 
ments at  Light  House,  Daysville,  Payne’s  Point,  and 


260 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Stillman.  As  it  is  one  of  the  first  circuits  of  Rock 
River,  so  it  has  ever  maintained  a reputation  for 
liberality  and  general  prosperity.  Some  of  the 
most  worthy  members  we  have  ever  met  with  were 
on  that  old,  honorable  work. 

Dundee  gave  name  to  a charge  in  1844.  Some- 
times, since  then,  it  has  been  merged  in  the  Elgin 
charge,  and  sometimes  been  independent.  A fine 
church  was  built  in  Dundee  through  the  efforts  of 
Nathan  Jewett  in  1859.  In  1853,  when  Thomas 
Cochran  was  preacher,  the  preaching  was  in  the 
Sons  of  Temperance  Hall  in  Dundee ; in  a church 
at  Miller’s  Grove,  which  was  dedicated  that  year  by 
Sias  Bolles;  and  in  a school-house  at  Algonquin. 

McHenry  Circuit,  embracing  appointments 
before  included  in  Crystal  Lake  Circuit,  was  con- 
stituted in  1844.  A quarterly-meeting  was  held  at 
McHenry  in  the  Spring  of  1841,  probably  the  first 
ever  held  in  the  place.  The  appointment  was  es- 
tablished there  in  1839  or  1840.  In  1851  the  ap- 
pointments of  the  circuit  were  at  McHenry,  Queen 
Ann,  Richmond,  Solon,  English  Prairie,  North  He- 
bron, and  Greenwood.  A parsonage  was  built  at 
Greenwood  in  1850,  and  a church  at  Queen  Ann 
the  same  year.  A church  was  built  at  Ringwood 
in  1854  by  the  Congregationalists  and  Methodists. 
The  Methodists  bought  out  the  Congregationalists, 
and  the  church  was  dedicated  by  J.  V.  Watson, 
February  22,  1855. 


WESLE  YA  N SECESSION— SLA  VER  Y.  261 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

WESLEYAN  SECESSION— ROCK  RIVER  CONFERENCE 
AND  SLAVERY. 

HERE  have  been  three  serious  defections  in 


the  bounds  of  the  conference, — Wesley anism, 
Mitchellism,  and  Nazaritism.  The  second,  how- 
ever, was  merely  a serious  Church  quarrel,  and  not, 
like  the  other  two,  a secession  move.  The  Meth- 
odist Church  in  America,  like  the  nation,  was 
cradled  in  the  spirit  of  freedom.  Freeborn  Gar- 
rettson,  one  of  the  first  native  preachers,  when  con- 
verted, belonged  to  one  of  the  first  families  of 
Maryland;  but  of  his  own  accord  he  freed  his 
slaves,  and,  everywhere,  from  Baltimore  to  North 
Carolina,  he  preached  against  slavery.  This  was 
the  course  pursued  by  all  our  early  preachers. 
Jacob  Gruber  was  led  into  a long  and  tedious  law- 
suit for  preaching  freedom,  and  Roger  Taney,  then 
a young  lawyer,  and  yet  untainted  by  the  dark 
blotch,  pleaded  his  cause.  The  defection  of  the 
Church  from  true  views  kept  pace  with  the  decline 
of  the  spirit  of  freedom  in  the  nation.  The  inven- 
tion of  the  cotton-gin  set  all  the  South  to  cotton- 
raising, and  slave-labor,  becoming  valuable,  the 
pocket  bore  sway  over  national  and  Church  con- 
science. Our  Church  had  its  first  and  greatest  vie- 


262 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


tories  in  slave  States.  First  a mild  sort  of  slavery 
was  tolerated  among  members,  and  then  the  itiner- 
ants, by  marriage  or  otherwise,  began  to  come  into 
possession  of  slaves,  until  by  degrees  our  protests 
against  slavery  grew  few  and  weak.  Southern 
ministers  ruled  in  the  General  Conference,  as 
Southern  representatives  ruled  in  the  American 
Congress. 

But  let  it  be  understood  that  all  Churches  occu- 
pying Southern  soil  went  as  far — if  not  farther,  some 
of  them — than  the  Methodists.  No  Churches  were 
free,  unless  it  were  those  that  never  occupied  South- 
ern soil.  Those  Churches  should  remember  this. 
The  Congregationalists,  the  Freewill  Baptists,  and 
the  United  Brethren  could  make  capital  by  refer- 
ence to  Methodist  slaveholding  with  impunity ; for 
they  had  no  societies  where  there  was  danger  of 
contamination.  It  is  not  our  province  to  smooth 
over  the  condition  of  Church  or  nation.  Heaven 
knows  both  were  bad  enough  ! There  is  some  apol- 
ogy in  the  spirit  of  the  times,  however.  On  the 
subject  of  slavery  there  was  a general  silence  or  an 
implied  approval.  Men  in  State  and  Church  re- 
gretted this  condition  of  things ; but  they  were  pow- 
erless to  remedy  the  evil.  The  conscience  of  the 
nation  was  asleep,  or  seared.  Between  1830  and 
1839  England  freed  all  her  slaves.  The  struggle 
for  this  end  awoke  responses  in  this  country,  and  a 
few  here  and  there,  as  Abolitionists,^^  lifted  up 
their  voices ; but  their  fervent  utterances  were 
choked  by  the  throttling  hand  of  mobs.  William 
Lloyd  Garrison  was  mobbed,  and  obliged  to  print 


WESLEYAN  SECESSION— SLA  VER  Y.  263 


in  secret.  E.  P.  Lovejoy  was  shot  at  Alton,  111., 
in  1837.  To  be  an  Abolitionist^^  in  the  freest 
circles  of  the  North  was  as  bad  as  infamy.  In  New 
England  many  Methodist  preachers  imbibed  the 
Abolition  spirit.  These  would  often  attend  Aboli- 
tion meetings,  and  make  addresses.  Two  members 
of  the  General  Conference  which  met  at  Cincinnati 
in  1836  made  speeches  at  an  antislavery  meeting, 
and  that  grave  body,  after  several  whereases,^^ 
passed  resolutions  condemning  the  persons.  One 
of  those  resolutions  was  : 

Resolved,  That  they  disapprove,  in  the  most 
unqualified  sense,  of  the  conduct  of  two  mem- 
bers, . . . who  are  reported  to  have  lectured  in 
this  city,  recently,  upon  and  in  favor  of  modern 
Abolition.^^ 

The  strength  of  the  Liberty  party  increased  in 
the  nation,  and  the  Abolition  spirit  gained  ground 
in  the  Church.  At  last,  in  the  person  of  Bishop 
Andrew,  the  Church  had  a slaveholding  bishop. 
The  Northern  preachers,  many  of  them,  refused  to 
admit  him  to  his  offices  in  Northern  conferences. 
The  Church  finally  aroused  itself,  and  in  1844,  in 
effect,  deposed  the  bishop,  which  caused  the  divis- 
ion of  the  Church  and  the  organization  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.  But  before 
this  was  accomplished  twenty  thousand  members, 
from  Maine  to  Illinois,  led  by  Orange  Scott,  left 
the  Church  and  entered  into  the  True  Wesleyan 
organization.  These  secessions  occurred  between 
the  years  1840  and  1843.  Only  three  members  of 
the  Rock  River  Conference  went  to  the  Wesleyans. 


264 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


They  were  Robert  Delap,  William  Kimball,  and 
Rufus  Lummery. 

Rufus  Lummery  had  been  admitted  into  the 
Oneida  Conference  in  1832,  with  Jesse  T.  Peck 
and  William  C.  Larrabee.  He  came  to  the  Illinois 
Conference  in  1836,  and  was  appointed  to  Ottawa. 
Being  of  an  ardent  temperament,  and  zealous,  he 
was  useful  on  all  the  circuits  he  traveled,  having 
revivals  wherever  he  went.  He  became  infected 
with  the  Wesleyan  plague,  and  greatly  disaffected 
the  members  of  his  circuits.  In  1842  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  Indian  Creek,  where  he  preached  against 
the  Church  so  efficiently  that  at  the  close  of  the 
year  he  gave  a large  number  of  disaffected  mem- 
bers letters  of  withdrawal.  In  1843  he  withdrew 
from  the  Rock  River  Conference,  and  went  back  to 
Indian  Creek  as  Wesleyan  preacher,  and  the  first 
Wesleyan  Conference  in  the  West  was  held  on  his 
work  in  1845.  While  there,  he  took  those  mem- 
bers into  the  Church  to  whom  he  had  given  letters 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  For  years 
after  he  continued  to  be  a leading  spirit  in  the 
Wesleyan  movements  in  the  West.  In  1862  he 
started  for  Colorado— as  a preacher,  we  believe — 
and,  in  crossing  the  Platte  River  on  a raft  of  logs, 
fell  between  the  logs,  and,  being  hurt  by  their  col- 
lision, he  sunk  to  rise  no  more. 

William  Kimball  and  Rufus  Lummery  were, 
during  the  years  of  disaffection,  on  circuits  along 
Fox  River  until  their  withdrawal,  having  thus  two 
years  in  which  to  lead  the  people  astray.  Lummery 
was  at  Indian  Creek  and  Kimball  at  Bristol.  On 


WESLE  YAN  SECESSIONSLA  VER  Y.  265 


joining  the  Wesleyans  they  went  to  work  on  their 
old  ground,  building  up  the  new  Church  out  of  the 
materials  they  wrested  from  the  old  Church.  Many 
who  did  not  leave  the  Church  became  so  disaffected 
they  were  only  kept  in  by  the  hope  of  better  days. 
A whole  class,  led  by  Jonathan  Manzer  at  the  Dig- 
gins  Settlement,  near  Harvard,  seceded  in  1842.  The 
first  secession  in  Illinois  was  in  a neighborhood  a 
little  east  of  Warren ville.  About  fourteen  persons 
withdrew  from  the  Church.  Two  men,  Chadwick 
and  Hadley  by  name,  were  the  principal  leaders. 
There  was  no  regular  conference  organization  in  the 
West  until  1845,  when  a conference  met  at  Indian 
Creek  in  the  Autumn  of  that  year.  Orange  Scott 
was  present,  to  aid  in  the  organization.  They  built  a 
seminary  at  Wheaton,  which  has  since  gone  into  the 
hands  of  the  Congregationalists.  The  Church  pros- 
pered for  awhile  ; but  as  by  degrees  the  old  Church 
raised  herself  to  a proper  position  the  Wesleyans 
went  out  of  date,  and  it  is  so  long  since  we  have 
met  with  one  we  know  not  whether  any  exist  in 
Illinois  or  not. 

It  is  due  the  True  Wesleyans  to  say  that  there 
has  never  been  a secession  with  so  great  a cause.  But 
all  such  movements  draw  to  them  the  captious,  the 
disappointed,  the  men  of  one  idea,  the  men  who  do 
not  find  a full  sphere  for  their  peculiar  talents  in 
other  places ; and  in  time  the  men  die  of  their  own 
accumulated  venom,  and  the  cause  fades  away. 
Such  moves  engender  holy  spite  and  obstinate 
self-will,  which  is  mistaken  for  zeal  for  the  truth ; 

and  not  having  the  pure  leaven  of  Gospel  humility, 

23 


266 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


they  die  of  enlargement  of  the  brain.  Was  there 
ever  known  a secession  that  succeeded  ? Of  faction 
born,  these  moves  die  of  faction  on  the  brain. 
While  this  is  true  of  most  of  the  members  of  such 
moves,  there  are  always  a few  sincere  men  who  re- 
cover themselves,  and  come  back  to  a better  course. 
When  at  last  slavery  was  dead,  many  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  Wesleyan  move  came  back  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  The  centenary  year  1866 
there  was  a general  movement  in  this  direction. 
Luther  Lee  and  L.  C.  Matlack  were  among  those  who 
returned.  The  Rock  River  Conference  received  in 
the  centenary  year  G.  S.  Young  and  F.  R.  Mastin. 

While  upon  this  matter  we  may  as  well  finish 
up  what  we  have  to  say  upon  the  subject  of  slavery. 
Any  one  conference  is  but  an  item  in  the  general 
move.  The  history  of  the  anti-slavery  reform  in  one 
conference  is  essentially  that  of  the  same  reform  in 
other  Northern  conferences.  The  Churches  and  the 
nation  came  up  by  degrees  to  a true  position.  The 
first  action  had  in  the  conference  was  caused  by  a 
memorial  on  slavery  from  Chicago  in  1841.  This 
memorial  was  signed  by  J.  H.  Scott  and  Calvin  De 
Wolf  The  conference  selected  a committee  to  re- 
port on  the  matter,  consisting  of  B.  T.  Kavanaugh, 
H.  Crews,  J.  Clark,  W.  Batchellor,  and  J.  T. 
Mitchell.  As  a relic  of  the  views  of  that  day  we 
quote  almost  entire  the  report  of  that  committee : 
That  slavery  is  an  evil,  which  in  a high  degree 
is  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  the  Church,  has 
been  so  long  a standing  declaration  of  the  Church 
that  it  is  impossible  for  any  candid  and  enlightened 


WESLEYAN  SECESSION-SLA  VERY.  267. 


mind  to  mistake  the  sentiments  of  our  Church  upon 
that  subject.  It  is  hoped  that  no  new  expression 
of  sentiment  is  necessary  or  desirable.  But  while 
the  Church  sees  and  deplores  the  existence  of  evils 
in  the  land  connected  with  systems  of  policy  and 
institutions  of  some  of  the  States  of  this  great  re- 
public, after  much  experience  and  reflection  upon 
the  subject  by  a very  large  majority  of  the  proper 
authorities  of  our  Church  from  all  parts  of  the 
Union,  it  is  thought  highly  improper  in  the  minis- 
try or  membership  of  our  communion  to  interfere 
with  the  powers  that  be  or  to  agitate  the  subject  is 
calculated  to  do  any  amount  of  injury  and  offers  no 
hope  of  effecting  any  good.  The  recommendations 
of  the  General  Conference  of  1836  on  this  subject, 
formed  as  they  are  in  wisdom  and  propriety,  ought 
to  govern  all  well  disposed  members  of  our  con- 
nexion. For  these  reasons,  and  many  more  that 
might  be  assigned,  your  committee  see  no  cause 
why  you  should  give  a new  expression  of  opinion 
upon  a subject  upon  which  our  sentiments  are  so 
well  known.  If  it  is  intended  by  the  memorialists 
that  this  conference  should  take  any  action  upon 
the  subject  of  slavery,  your  committee  are  of  opin- 
ion that  such  action  would  be  the  exercise  of  powers 
and  prerogatives  not  delegated  to  it  by  the  Dis- 
cipline, . . . and  on  this  account  action  upon  this 
subject  would  be  improper.  Your  committee,  there- 
fore suggest  the  passage  of  the  following: 

^^Resolvedy  That  it  is  inexpedient  for  this  con- 
ference to  take  any  action  upon  the  subject  of 
slavery.’’ 


268 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


^ We  have  given  one  resolution  passed  by  the 
General  Conference  in  1836;  we  submit  another 
that  the  above  reference  may  be  understood : 

‘^Resolvedy  2.  That  they  are  decidedly  opposed 
to  modern  abolitionism,  and  wholly  disclaim  any 
right,  wish,  or  intention  to  interfere  in  the  civil 
and  political  relation  between  master  and  slave 
as  it  exists  in  the  slave  holding  States  of  this 
Union/^ 

The  nation  and  the  Church  were  dumb.  The 
conference  went  to  Chicago  in  1842  into  the  very 
nest  of  disturbing  petitioners. 

The  conference  being  near  at  hand  Calvin  De 
Wolf  came  to  the  conflict  with  a new  memorial 
backed  up  by  a strong  body-guard  of  names.  The 
names  to  this  second  memorial  were,  J.  E.  Brown, 
Charles  Turner,  Robert  Shepherd,  J.  H.  Scott,  R. 
P.  Hamilton,  James  Robinson,  Christopher  Metz, 
J.  H.  Slayton,  Thos.  E.  Hamilton,  Jacob  Harris, 
Mrs.  L.  L.  Brown,  Mrs.  Francis  De  Wolf,  Harriet 
C.  Heald,  Ellen  Shaddle,  M.  E.  Warner,  Lucy 
Wentworth,  Mrs.  Susan  Sweet,  E.  Robinson,  Elvira 
Scott,  Calvin  De  Wolf,  and  John  Mountjoy. 

In  1854  the  conference  got  so  far  as  to  pass  a 
resolution  requesting  the  next  General  Conference 
to  pass  a rule  forbidding  the  buying,  selling,  or 
holding  in  bondage  human  beings  for  mercenary 
purposes.^^ 

In  1855  they  asked  for  a law  hindering  the  ad- 
mission of  slave  holders  into  the  Church. 

In  1864  the  conference  approved  of  the  new 
rule  on  slavery  adopted  by  the  General  Conference 


WESLEYAN  SECESSION— SLA  VER  Y.  269 


in  1864  forbidding  all  slaveholding  in  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church.  The  world  moves.  Nights 
of  error  pass,  and  we  of  to-day  live  in  grandly 
eventful  times. 


270 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHARTER  XIX. 

FROM  1840  TO  1845  CONTINUED. 

ET  US  return  again  to  Chicago,  that  great  center 


of  secular  and  religious  doings.  In  1843 
Canal  Street  Church  on  the  West  Side  began 
its  existence.  In  the  early  day  there  was  strong 
competition  between  the  village  in  the  vicinity  of 
Dearborn  Street,  where  the  center  of  that  portion 
of  the  city  was  found,  and  the  village  on  the  West 
Side  at  the  Point ; and  let  us  remember  that 
Methodism  had  at  the  first  its  strong  hold  on  the 
West  Side.  From  thence  the  society  removed  to 
Clark  Street  on  the  North  Side,  where  the  church 
was  built  in  1834,  and  finally  in  1838  removed  to 
the  South  Side,  settling  down  permanently  on  the 
site  occupied  by  the  church  block  on  Clark  Street, 
thus  going  the  rounds,  taking,  as  it  were,  a pre- 
emption of  the  positions  it  was  afterwards  to  hold. 
In  1836  there  were  three  taverns  and  a liquor  shop 
on  the  West  Side,  with  a small  school,  which  the 
writer  attended.  In  1843  there  were  three  taverns 
but  no  store  of  any  kind,  not  even  a groggery.  The 
town  there  was  chiefly  occupied  by  the  residences — 
humble  in  themselves — of  persons  whose  business 
was  over  on  Clark  or  Lake  Streets,  where  at  this 
time  the  whole  of  the  mercantile  business  of  the 


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271 


city  centered.  A.  Pierce  had  a blacksmith  shop, 
and  Azel  Peck  a carpenter  shop,  besides  which 
there  was  no  business  of  any  kind  transacted  on  the 
West  Side.  In  the  Spring  of  1843  P.  W.  Gates 
put  up  a temporary  building  for  a foundry  on  the 
river  bank  between  Washington  and  Madison  Streets, 
and  the  writer  was  present  at  the  first  furnace  heat- 
ing of  this  noted  iron  worker.  An  old  dwelling 
house  had  been  fitted  up  for  the  Third  Ward  school- 
room, which  stood  on  Monroe  Street  between  Canal 
and  Clinton  Streets.  Many  present  Chicago  citizens 
were  educated  under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  Sturtevant 
in  this  only  school-room  in  West  Chicago  in  that 
day. 

We  can  not  now  tell  when  the  first  Methodist 
class  was  organized  on  the  West  Side.  In  the  Fall 
of  1842  a class  met  regularly  at  Mr.  Scott^s,  in  a 
stone  house  on  the  river  a little  south  of  Madison 
Street,  and  in  the  Summer  of  1843  the  class  met 
regularly  on  Sunday  morning  at  the  house  of  the 
leader,  A.  S.  Sherman,  on  the  corner  of  Washing- 
ton and  Clinton  Streets.  During  the  same  Summer 
a prayer-meeting  was  held  regularly  on  Wednesday 
evening  at  the  school-house.  One  Summer  evening 
the  key  could  not  be  found,  and  by  the  star  light 
we  all  kneeled  down  on  the  green  sward  and  held 
a prayer-meeting,  making  the  evening  air  resound 
with  our  songs.  During  the  Winter  of  1843,  under 
N.  P.  Cunningham’s  labors,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
joined  the  Church  in  Chicago.  Many  of  the  new 
as  well  as  the  old  members  resided  on  the  West 
Side,  and  in  the  Spring,  under  the  lead  of  A.  S. 


272 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Sherman  and  James  Robinson  they  set  about  build- 
ing a church. 

The  class  and  prayer-meetings  mentioned  above 
were  the  only  religious  services  of  any  kind  held 
in  that  part  of  the  city,  and  after  the  church  was 
completed  it  stood  without  a companion  until  the 
Third  Presbyterian  Church  was  erected  in  1847. 
The  new  church  commenced  stood  on  the  west 
side  of  Canal  Street,  between  Washington  and  Ran- 
dolph Streets.  It  was  built  after  the  common  pat- 
tern of  that  day,  a low  steepleless  oblong  frame,  with 
high  pews  and  pulpit.  The  work  was  also  carried 
on  after  the  prevailing  fashion.  Labor  was  plenty 
and  money  scarce,  and  there  could  be  obtained  more 
subscriptions  paid  in  labor  than  money.  On  the 
First  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church  the  minister,  C. 
B.  Smith,  worked  for  days  with  his  own  hands. 
Around  the  rising  Canal  Street  Church  gathered 
day  after  day  many  volunteers,  and  every  man  who 
could  handle  a saw  or  chisel  was  drafted  into  the 
service.  At  least  two  who  were  afterwards  mem- 
bers of  the  Rock  River  Conference  had  a hand  in 
the  work.  These  were  James  McClane  and  A.  D.  ' 
Field,  both  of  whom  joined  the  Church  at  Clark 
Street  during  the  previous  Winter.  The  work 
went  on  slowly  all  Summer,  and  the  church  was 
not  ready  for  dedication  until  New- Year’s.  The 
leading  men  in  the  new  organization  were  A.  S. 
Sherman,  James  Robinson,  Thomas  George,  Charles 
Wissencraft,  William  Kettlestrings,  and  others. 
Many  of  the  members  of  the  Clark  Street  official 
board  at  the  time  were  Englishmen,  and  from  the 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


273 


commencement  English  views  to  some  extent  bore 
rule.  Love  feast  tickets  did  not  go  out  of  date  at 
Clark  Street  until  1844.  These  views  prevailing, 
Chicago,  after  the  English  plan,  was  made  a circuit 
at  the  conference,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  Luke 
Hitchcock  and  A.  Hanson,  who  were  the  preachers 
in  1843,  alternated  between  Clark  and  Canal  Streets. 
The  preachers  arrived  in  September,  but  did  not 
preach  on  the  West  Side  until  January.  On  New- 
Year’s  eve,  1843,  we  all  gathered  to  the  new  church 
at  seven  o’clock  for  the  dedication.  The  sermon 
was  preached  by  John  T.  Mitchell,  whose  brother 
James  dedicated  Clark  Street  Church  in  1845.  We 
do  not  remember  the  text,  but  the  sermon  was  a 
historic  sketch  of  Chicago  Methodism,  and  we  took 
our  first  notes  of  this  veracious  history.  That  dis- 
course, though  only  ten  years  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Church  in  Chicago,  had  a wonderful 
effect  upon  those  who  had  not  known  the  history. 
It  seemed  an  age  since  Jesse  Walker  began  his 
work. 

From  this  dedication  the  congregation  fol- 
lowed the  preachers  over  to  Clark  Street,  where  at 
nine  o’clock  watch-night  services  began.  Alto- 
gether it  was  one  of  the  most  profitable  nights  of 
Chicago  Methodism.  About  seventy-five  members 
went  to  Canal  Street.  During  the  great  revival  of 
the  Winter  of  1845  Canal  Street  largely  shared  in 
the  ingathering.  In  1845  the  circuit  system  was 
discontinued,  and  Sias  Bolles  sent  to  the  charge. 
He  remained  through  two  prosperous  years,  adding 
many  efficient  members  to  the  Church.  He  re- 


274 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


ported  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  members  in 
1847. 

When  Methodism  first  began  its  work  in  St. 
Charles  we  can  not  fully  ascertain.  The  place 
had  been  on  the  list  of  appointments  for  many 
years  previous  to  its  becoming  a separate  charge  in 
1844.  W.  Wilcox  preached  there  regularly  in  1837 
and  William  Kimball  on  Sunday  morning  once  in 
two  weeks  in  1840.  Elihu  Springer  and  William 
Gaddis  were  appointed  to  the  work  in  1844,  and 
were  followed  in  1845  by  Salmon  Stebbins  and  L. 
A.  Chapin.  In  1846  Mr.  Stebbins  returned  alone. 
At  this  time  the  circuit  included  the  country  on 
both  sides  of  Fox  River  from  St.  Charles  to  Au- 
rora, the  appointments  being  filled  one  half  of  the 
time  by  local  preachers.  A very  good  stone  church 
with  a basement  was  built  in  1842.  The  basement 
was  finished  off  for  a school  room,  and  Thomas 
North,  who  became  a noted  member  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference,  taught  a select  school  in  the 
basement,  which  we  attended  in  the  Winter  of  1847. 
During  this  Winter  the  Church  came  near  an  erup- 
tion on  account  of  great  excitement  on  the  Masonic 
question.  John  F.  Farnsworth,  then  a young  law- 
yer, more  out  of  sport  than  mischief,  got  up  a series 
of  shows  exposing  Odd  Fellowship.  Whether  the 
representations  were  real  or  no  we  can  not  tell,  but 
the  company  of  young  performers  gave  what  they 
declared  were  Odd  Fellow  ceremonies.  The  expo- 
sition served  to  arouse  indignation  in  the  Churches, 
and  the  Methodist  Church  greatly  suifered.  There 
was  an  attempt  to  carry  on  a protracted  meeting, 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK, 


275 


but  It  only  resulted  in  failure.  The  Congregation- 
alists  were  in  a quarrel  concerning  the  admission 
of  a young  lady  to  their  Church,  and  nearly  all 
Winter  they  held  nightly  meetings  with  crowded 
houses  wherein  such  jangling  was  carried  on  as  the 
town  never  saw.  It  being  all  about  nothing,  there 
was  no  ground  for  settlement.  J.  P.  Vance,  a mem- 
ber of  the  Church  on  one  side,  and  J.  F.  Farns- 
worth on  the  other  conducted  the  quarrel.  These 
things  put  an  end  to  all  attempts  to  hold  revival 
meetings.  In  1847  Sias  Bolles  and  C.  Lazenbee 
went  on  to  the  circuit.  The  work  was  down.  Cap- 
tiousness prevailed,  and  the  Universalists  bore  sway. 
The  preachers  agreed  not  to  name  any  of  these 
things,  but  to  remain  firmly  by  the  Gospel  work. 
A glorious  work  commenced  and  the  circuit  came 
up  out  of  the  wilderness.  One  of  the  elders  of 
the  Congregational  Church  and  his  family  professed 
conversion  and  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  This  man,  J.  P.  Vance,  united  with  the 
conference  in  1849,  and  received  appointments  in 
all  parts  of  the  work  until  1857,  when  being  over- 
taken in  liquor  (only  beer,  but  that  is  bad  enough) 
he  was  excluded.  In  1850  the  appointments  were 
at  St.  Charles,  Geneva,  Batavia,  Aurora,  Big  Woods, 
South-west  of  Aurora  on  Blackberry  Creek,  and 
Footville.  In  1851  there  was  a general  cutting  up 
of  the  circuit,  leaving  St.  Charles  Station,  Aurora 
Circuit,  with  appointments  at  Big  Woods  and  Black- 
berry Creek,  and  Geneva,  with  appointments  at 
Batavia  and  Footville.  Since  then  St.  Charles  has 
pursued  the  even  tenor  of  its  way,  blessed  with  the 


276 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


session  of  the  conference  in  1852,  and  disturbed  by 
the  secession  of  the  Free  Methodists  in  1860. 
There  was  formed  the  first  Free  Methodist  society 
in  the  West. 

The  districts  of  1840  have  been  given;  for  the 
remainder  of  our  half  decade  they  were : 

1841.  Chicago  District,  J.  T.  Mitchell,  P.  E.; 
Ottawa  District,  J.  Sinclair,  P.  E.;  Mt.  Morris  Dis- 
trict, S.  H.  Stocking,  P.  E. 

1842.  Chicago  District,  H.  Crews,  P.  E.;  Rock 
River  District,  S.  H.  Stocking,  P.  E. ; Ottawa  Dis- 
trict, J.  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris  District,  J.  T. 
Mitchell,  P.  E. 

1843.  Chicago  District,  Hooper  Crews,  P.  E. ; 
Rock  River  District,  J.  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; Ottawa 
District,  S.  H.  Stocking,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris  District, 
J.  T.  Mitchell,  P.  E. 

1844.  Chicago  District,  J.  R.  Goodrich,  P.  E. ; 
Ottawa  District,  Luke  Hitchcock,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris 
District,  Hooper  Crews,  P.  E. ; Rock  River  District, 

S.  H.  Stocking,  P.  E.  ' 

The  Rock  River  Conference  held  its  second  ses- 
sion at  Plattville,  Wisconsin,  it  being  the  first  Meth- 
odist conference  ever  held  in  the  State.  The  father 
of  the  Mitchells  had  settled  at  Plattville  at  an  early 
day,  and  it  was  at  this  time  the  most  important  point 
in  Wisconsin  Methodism.  The  conference  opened 
August  25th,  with  Bishop  Morris  in  the  chair.  John, 

T.  Mitchell  was  chosen  secretary  and  James  H. 
Goodrich  assistant.  Otis  F.  Curtis  was  reported  as 
withdrawn  from  the  Church.  He  returned  to  the 
Congregationalists,  whence  he  came.  He  was  a 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


277 


good  man,  but  lacked  the  energy  sufficient  for  the 
stirring  times  of  the  AVest.  Allen  Huddleson  had 
died  in  great  peace  in  the  Indian  country,  in  North- 
ern Wisconsin,  in  the  midst  of  devout  labors  for 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen/^  His  bones  rest  on 
the  banks  of  the  Upper  Mississippi.  This  is  the 
first  death  among  the  noble  band  constituting  the 
first  conference ; but  since  he  was  only  a proba- 
tioner, there  is  no  note  of  this  death  in  the  General 
Minutes.  There  was  a report  of  eighty-four  Sun- 
day-schools and  one  thousand  four  hundred  and 
forty  scholars.  The  conference  continued  its  ses- 
sions until  Thursday  evening.  This  was  the  usual 
length  of  the  sessions  for  many  years.  Since  then 
the  business  of  the  conference  has  been  so  reduced 
to  system  and  the  bishops  work  with  so  much  greater 
dispatch  the  sessions  end  much  sooner,  the  confer- 
ence generally  adjourning  on  Monday  evening.  One 
whole  session  was  usually  spent  calling  the  roll  for 
the  reports  of  statistics.  This  was  the  practice  until 
1857,  when  the  present  mode  of  reporting  quietly 
to  committees  was  adopted. 

The  third  session  was  held  in  1842,  in  the  Bap- 
tist church,  in  Chicago.  This  church  was  a long, 
low  building,  situated  in  the  rear  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  building,  on  the  corner  of  LaSalle  and  Wash- 
ington Streets.  Bishop  Roberts,  on  his  last  episco- 
pal round,  presided.  J.  T.  Mitchell  was  secretary ; 
J.  R.  Goodrich,  assistant.  J.  T.  Mitchell  occupied 
the  secretary's  desk  until  elected  assistant  book 
agent  in  1844.  E.  R.  Ames  (now  bishop),  as  mis- 
sionary secretary,  was  present,  enlivening  the  con- 


278 


MEMOUIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


ference  by  his  preaching.  Thirty-four  chapels 
and  sixteen  parsonages  were  reported.  This  first 
Chicago  conference  adjourned  on  Thursday  aft- 
ernoon. 

The  preachers  gathered  at  Dubuque  in  1843  for 
their  fourth  conference,  it  being  the  first  ever  held 
in  Iowa.  E.  R.  Ames  being  present  again,  by  re- 
quest opened  the  session,  conducting  the  business 
until  the  conference  was  properly  organized  by  the 
election  of  B.  Weed  as  president,  thus  presiding  in 
the  conference  nine  years  before  he,  as  bishop,  pre- 
sided at  St.  Charles.  J.  R.  Goodrich  was  continued 
as  assistant  secretary.  Bishop  J.  O.  Andrew  arrived 
on,a  steamboat  Sunday  morning,  in  time  to  preach, 
and  took  the  chair  on  Monday  morning.  He  must 
not  be  blamed  for  tardiness ; for  whoever  has  tried 
a Mississippi  steamboat  will  know  how  to  make 
allowances.  We  tried  them  once!  In  1859  we 
went  to  Fulton  by  daylight,  Tuesday  morning, 
bound  up  the  river  for  the  Galena  Conference.  We 
went  to  the  warehouse,  took  walks,  slept  on  boxes, 
ate  at  the  hotel,  had  the  vexations,  endured  much, 
until  Wednesday  at  two  P.  M.,  when  a boat  arrived, 
and  we  took  passage,  and  reached  Dubuque  in  the 
night.  Before  daylight  we  took  cars  for  Galena, 
where  we  arrived  on  Thursday  morning,  in  time 
for  conference,  and  to  learn  that  we  had  been  elected 
the  day  before  statistical  secretary,  and  that  all  this 
time  our  work  was  being  neglected.  We  did  well, 
however;  for  B.  Close  and  A.  Cross,  our  compan- 
ions, who  stayed  by  the  steamboat,  did  not  reach 
Galena  until  Thursday  afternoon.  We  wanted  a 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


279 


steamboat  ride,  but  have  never  cared  to  try  the 
river  again  when  we  had  business  and  the  prompt 
cars  have  been  at  hand. 

Bishop  Andrew  was  the  only  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  that  ever  pre- 
sided at  our  conference.  B.  T.  Kavanaugh,  the  first 
secretary,  and  for  some  time  presiding  elder,  was  a 
brother  of  H.  H.  Kavanaugh,  who  was  elected 
bishop  of  the  Church  South  in  1854.  At  this  con- 
ference delegates  were  elected  to  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1844.  They  were  Bartholomew  Weed, 
John  Sinclair,  H.  W.  Reed,  and  J.  T.  Mitchell. 
For  some  reason  Mr.  Mitchell  was  not  elected  till 
the  second  ballot,  and  then  only  by  a small  majority. 
The  General  Conference  put  a different  estimate 
upon  him,  and  by  electing  him  book  agent  took 
him  away  from  the  Rock  River  Conference.  This 
B.  Weed,  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  con- 
ference and  first  on  the  list  of  delegates,  was  from 
the  Philadelphia  Conference  in  1837,  and  had  been 
admitted  into  the  conference  in  1817.  He  traveled 
most  of  the  time  from  1817  to  1837  in  New  Jersey, 
but  was  four  years  on  Staten  Island  and  six  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia.  He  was  appointed  to  the  Ga- 
lena District  in  1837,  in  which  position  he  contin- 
ued until  1843,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  Iowa 
District,  and  never  after  held  appointments  in  the 
bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  He  con- 
tinued to  act  as  presiding  elder  in  Iowa  until  1845, 
when  he  transferred  to  the  New  Jersey  Conference, 
where,  without  intermission,  he  continued  to  fill 
middle-class  appointments — the  last  four  years  in 


280 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Newark  City — until  1864,  when  he  was  obliged  to 
give  over  and  retire  to  the  superannuated  list.  He 
died  a few  years  ago.  He  traveled  forty-seven  years 
in  all,  eight  of  which  he  was  presiding  elder  in  the 
West. 

The  fifth  conference  was  held  at  Milwaukee  in 
1844.  Bishop  Morris  presided ; J.  R.  Goodrich 
was  secretary.  Quite  a change  has  now  come  over 
the  conference.  The  General  Conference  of  May, 
1844,  had  constituted  the  Iowa  Conference,  thereby 
causing  some  of  the  most  prominent  members  to 
cease  to  attond  the  sessions.  To  Iowa  went  B. 
Weed,  H.  W.  Reed,  William  Simpson,  David  Wor- 
thington, Jesse  L.  Bennett,  1. 1.  Stewart,  and  others. 
The  Iowa  members  had  labored  most  of  their  time 
in  Iowa,  so  that  the  Iowa  Conference  took  very  few 
who  had  ever  had  appointments  in  the  bounds  of 
the  Rock  River  Conference.  At  the  Mt.  Morris 
Conference  in  1840  there  were  fifteen  appointments 
in  Iowa;  at  the  time  of  the  division,  and  at  the 
first  session  of  the  Iowa  Conference  in  1844,  there 
were  twenty-nine  appointments.  There  was  an- 
other change  made  of  more  consequence  to  the 
Rock  River  Confererice.  Since  Iowa  had  set  up 
for  itself,  it  was  thought  a better  arrangement  of 
the  Illinois  work  could  be  made  by  an  enlargement 
of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  Accordingly  that 
territory  now  included  in  the  Central  Illinois  Con- 
ference was  taken  from  the  Illinois  Conference  and 
attached  to  Rock  River.  By  this  arrangement  the 
conference  acquired  a company  of  worthy  preachers. 
The  country  was  older,  and  the  ministers  were  men 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK, 


281 


of  ability.  Besides,  they  were  men  of  the  South- 
ern type,  and  more  eloquent  than  the  astute  Yankee. 
Some  of  Rock  River’s  most  eloquent  men  came  in 
with  this  reinforcement,  and  many  afterwards  came 
into  the  conference,  raised  upon  Central  Illinois 
territory,  that  have  made  their  mark  among  us. 
The  reinforcements  brought  in  Richard  Haney, 
A.  E.  Phelps,  Francis  Smith,  N.  P.  Heath,  Isaac 
Pool,  S.  P.  Burr,  Warner  Oliver,  B.  H.  Cartwright, 
Zadoc  Hall,  and  John  F.  Devore. 

The  conference  of  1845  met  at  Peoria,  August 
20th,  and  opened  with  H.  Crews  as  chairman. 
Bishop  Morris  arrived  Thursday,  during  the  after- 
noon session,  and  took  the  chair.  P.  Judson  was 
elected  secretary.  The  members  could  not  have 
made  a wiser  choice.  He  at  once  became  an  efficient 
secretary,  and,  without  the  thought  of  a change  on 
the  part  of  the  conference,  he  held  the  office  until 
1859,  serving  his  last  time  at  Waukegan  in  1858, 
when  he  became  so  much  engaged  in  secular  em- 
ploy he  could  not  well  attend  to  secretarial  duties. 
W.  H.  Sampson  was  assistant  secretary  in  1845, 
F.  T.  Mitchell  in  1846,  and  in  1847  S.  F.  Denning, 
on  P.  Judson’s  nomination,  was  chosen  to  that  po- 
sition, in  which,  as  recorder  of  the  minutes,  he  has 
served,  with  the  exception  of  one  year,  ever  since. 
C.  B.  Tippett,  assistant  book  agent  at  New  York, 
was  present  at  Peoria,  and  preached  in  a manner  to 
send  the  preachers  home  all  alive  to  the  work.  He 
took  as  his  text,  ^^I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,” 
and  perhaps  never  at  any  session  has  there  been 
such  a sermon  preached. 


24 


282 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


In  1846  the  conference  met  at  Galena,  with 
L.  L.  Hamline  as  presiding  bishop;  and  in  1847  it 
met  at  Chicago  for  the  second  time,  Bishop  Waugh 
presiding.  This  and  the  next  session  were  made 
ever  memorable  by  the  notorious  Mitchell  trials, 
of  which  more  hereafter. 

In  1848  the  conference  met  at  Canton,  in  Fulton 
County,  Bishop  Morris  presiding.  Here  again  the 
body  felt  the  effects  of  disintegration.  In  1840 
there  were  but  sixteen  appointments  north  of  the 
Illinois  line.  Wisconsin  was  newer  country  than 
Illinois,  and  did  not  arrive  to  the  dignity  of  a 
State  until  1848.  But  during  these  years  the  peo- 
ple had  flocked  in,  and  the  Methodist  preachers 
had  planted  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  the  new 
settlements,  so  that,  at  the  first  session  of  the  Wis- 
consin Conference  after  its  organization  at  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  May,  1848,  there  were  fifty-seven 
appointments,  to  which  sixty-three  preachers  were 
sent.  By  this  new  organization  the  Rock  River 
Conference  was  confined,  for  the  first  time,  to  the 
limits  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  the  conference  em- 
bracing the  northern  third  part  of  the  State.  Many 
men  who  had  enlivened  the  sessions  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference  appeared  no  more  on  the  floor. 
Among  them  were  many  active  and  efficient  men. 
There  were  W.  H.  Sampson,  E.  Springer,  Isaac  M. 
Leihy,  Isaac  Searles,  David  Brooks,  Washington 
Wilcox,  S.  R.  Thorp,  Warner  Oliver,  W.  G.  Miller, 
H.  W.  Frink,  Chauncy  Hobart,  Wesley  Latin,  and 
others,  who  were  much  missed  from  the  cheerfiil- 
hearted  ranks. 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK, 


283 


In  1849  we  met  at  Rockford.  The  old  church 
was  newly  finished  and  stood  in  a grove  on  the 
commons.  Bishop  Janes  made  here  his  first  ap- 
pearance West.  At  Mt.  Morris,  the  week  previous, 
the  bishop  had  preached  twice,  and  laid  the  corner- 
stone of  a church.  At  the  conference  he  gave  one 
of  those  addresses  to  the  class  of  deacons  for  which 
he  was  always  noted,  and  in  which  no  other  ex- 
celled him.  The  four  addresses  he  delivered  at  our 
sessions  excelled  every  thing  we  have  ever  heard 
from  human  lips.  He  also  spoke  on  Friday  even- 
ing at  the  missionary  meeting,  delivering  one  of  his 
most  eloquent  addresses.  On  Sunday  there  was  the 
largest  (or  most  crowded)  congregation  we  have 
ever  had  at  a conference.  The  windows  were 
thrown  open,  and  wagons  two  rods  deep  were  filled 
with  eager,  outside  listeners.  There  was  the  same 
crowd  at  the  preaching  at  the  Baptist  church  in  the 
afternoon,  where  John  H.  Power  preached.  The 
choir  was  in  those  days  a vexed  and  vexing  ques- 
tion. We  were  in  a transition  state  between  the 
old-fashioned  congregational  singing  and  our  pres- 
ent modes.  Often  strange  preachers  took  occasion 
to  give  the  choir  a blessing.  On  this  afternoon 
Dr.  Power — an  Ohioan,  with  Ohio  ideas — was 
speaking  of  heaven.  And,^^  said  he,  when  we 
get  there  we  shall  all  join  in  heavenly  melodies, 
and  not  have  a few  people  away  up  yonder  to  sing 
for  us!^^  pointing,  as  he  uttered  the  remark,  with 
his  long  arm,  to  the  artistic  choir  which  sung  in 
the  gallery. 

We  have  now  passed  in  review  the  work  of  the 


284 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


itinerant  bands  from  1840  to  1845.  The  days  of 
planting,  for  the  most  part,  are  over,  and  we  enter 
upon  the  days  of  enlargement  and  culture.  Now 
the  work  is  to  be  that  of  edifying  the  Church  and 
establishing  new  forms.  The  new  and  crude  ma- 
terials for  a noble  Church  are  to  take  form,  and 
vexed  questions  are  to  be  settled.  But  all  this  time 
the  work  of  harvest  has  been  going  on,  and  the 
Church  has  arisen  to  new  influence  and  gained  new 
victories.  We  are  about  to  enter  upon  another 
period  of  five  years — a period,  however,  somewhat 
barren  in  incident;  for,  the  country  being  at  a 
stand-still,  the  circuits  and  doings  of  the  conference 
exhibit  little  change.  It  was  not  until  after  1855 
that  the  work  began  to  be  broken  up  into  new 
charges.  In  1845  there  were  in  the  bounds  of  the 
present  Rock  River  Conference  7,400  members,  30 
charges,  and  39  preachers.  At  the  conference  of 
that  year,  held  at  Peoria,  the  following  appoint- 
ments were  made  in  our  limits: 

Chicago  District  : James  Mitchell,  P.  E.  — 
Clark  Street,  William  M.  D.  Ryan ; Canal  Street, 
Sias  Bolles ; City  Mission,  S.  F.  Denning;  Elk 
Grove,  H.  Whitehead,  James  Leckenby;  Lake,  S. 
Pillsbury ; Dundee,  L.  R.  Ellis ; Elgin,  G.  L.  S. 
StufP;  St.  Charles,  S.  Stebbins,  L.  A.  Chapin;  Du- 
page, N.  Jewett;  Juliet,  O.  A.  Walker,  R.  E. 
Thomas;  Wilmington,  William  Gaddis;  Yellow- 
head  Grove  (Momence),  J.  M.  Hinman ; Crystal 
Lake,  H.  Minard;  McHenry,  Wm.  Vallette.  . . . 

Ottawa  District:  Luke  Hitchcock,  P.  E. — 
Ottawa,  Walter  Hare  ; Peru  Mission,  J.  W.  Agard; 


REVIEW  OF  THE  WORK. 


285 


Princeton,  L.  S.  Walker;  Portland,  S.  K.  Lemon; 
Dixon,  S.  P.  Keyes ; Daysville,  David  Brooks ; 
Belvidere,  R.  A.  Blanchard ; Sycamore,  S.  R.  Beggs, 
Wesley  Latin ; Little  Rock,  O.  W.  Hunger,  W.  B. 
Atkinson  ; Milford,  Levi  Jenks,  J.  W.  Burton. 

Mt.  Morris  District:  H.  Crews,  P.  E. — Ga- 
lena, F.  A.  Savage  ; Elizabeth,  Isaac  M.  Leihy ; 
Mt.  Carroll  Mission,  W.  B.  Cooley;  Freeport,  L. 
Whipple ; Rockford,  C.  D.  Cahoon  ; Sugar  River, 
L.  F.  Molthrop ; Roscoe,  Z.  Hall ; Mt.  Morris,  M. 
Bourne;  Buffalo  Grove,  A.  M.  Early ; Union  Grove, 
Isaac  Searles.  . . . 

Philo  Judson  and  J.  C.  Parks,  Agents  of  Rock 
River  Seminary;  J.  T.  Mitchell,  Assistant  Book 
Agent,  Cincinnati. 

In  Milwaukee  District : Big  Foot,  John  Wilson, 
C.  G.  Adams. 


286 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAF>TER  XX. 

CHICAGO  METHODISM-^  CONTINUED. 

E left  William  M.  D.  Eyan  and  Warner  Oliver 


in  1845,  having  glorious  times  on  the  Chi- 
cago Circuit.  At  this  time  the  churches  of  the  city 
were  meagre  affairs.  The  St.  James  Episcopal  so- 
ciety were  worshiping  on  the  North  Side,  in  a dingy 
brick  building,  built  in  1836.  The  Catholics  had 
the  only  really  good  church  in  town.  The  Unita- 
rians had  a passable  frame,  the  same  that  was  burned 
down  in  front  of  the  Methodist  church  block  in 
1864.  The  First  and  Second  Presbyterian  churches 
were  low  frame  buildings,  and  the  Baptists  were 
worshiping  in  a long,  low,  convent-like  house,  in 
the  rear  of  their  brick  church,  which  was  built  in 
1846  and  taken  down  in  1864.  The  Clark  Street 
Methodist  church  was  a nondescript.  It  had  first 
been  twenty-six  by  thirty  feet,  and  being  twice 
doubled  in  size,  it  was  a shaky  affair,  in  whose  ceil- 
ing and  roof  the  joints  were  plainly  visible.  It  was 
about  forty-six  by  sixty-four  feet,  with  twelve  or 
fourteen  feet  walls.  The  outside,  if  ever  painted, 
had  lost  all  its  whiteness,  and  presented  a time- 
worn appearance.  It  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  pres- 
ent block,  fronting  on  Clark  Street.  The  seats  were 
high,  with  doors,  or,  as  a preachePs  child  said  of 


CHICAGO  METHODISM, 


287 


another  such  church,  had  gates/^  The  pulpit  was 
literally  a preach-pen/^  The  preacher,  entering, 
closed  the  door,  and  shut  himself  in.  Whether  this 
arrangement  was  made  to  save  the  preacher  from 
assaults  we  never  learned.  The  lamps  were  lard- 
oil  burners,  the  globes  of  plain  ground  glass,  twelve 
inches  in  diameter,  set  on  a ring,  which  held  the 
oil,  leaving  the  oil  burning  in  the  center.  With 
the  oil  of  the  day,  generally  lard,  the  church  within, 
of  an  evening,  resembled  a cave  dimly  lighted  with 
glimmering  lanterns,  the  posts  which  held  up  the 
ceiling  answering  to  dingy  stalactites.  Well  do  we 
remember  the  old  sexton  going  around  with  his 
bottle  of  turpentine,  lighting  these  hard-to-be-lighted 
oil  lamps.  Could  the  people  of  1845  awake  to  our 
modern  gas  and  petroleum  they  would  be  fright- 
ened by  the  brilliancy.  But,  dingy  and  uncouth  as 
those  old  walls  were,  they  are  sacred  to  the  memory 
of  many  a soul  born  there  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  We  can  never  forget  when  we  bowed  at  the 
altar  of  the  old  church  for  the  first  time  around  the 
sacramental  board,  and  when  again  we  bowed  for 
baptism,  when  Hooper  Crews  poured  the  conse- 
crating element  on  our  youthful  head.  Near  the 
old  church  stood  an  office  used  as  a class-room. 
Besides  this  there  was  no  convenience  for  class- 
meetings.  Only  one  class  met  in  the  church ; that 
was  D.  M.  Bradley^s  class,  which  met  at  four 
o’clock.  All  other  classes  met  either  in  the  afore- 
mentioned office  or  in  private  houses. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  Chicago  in  regard  to 
churches  in  the  Spring  of  1845,  there  being  in  all 


288 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


thirteen  churches  in  the  city.  There  were  Canal 
Street  on  the  West  Side,  St.  James  Episcopal  and 
the  Bethel  on  the  North  Side,  and  on  the  South 
Side  one  Methodist,  two  Baptist,  and  two  Presby- 
terian churches,  one  Episcopalian,  a Catholic,  a 
Universalist,  a Unitarian,  and  a Dutch  Methodist, 
or  Albright  Church. 

William  M.  D.  Ryan  had  come  from  Ohio,  where 
they  had  arrived  at  an  age  of  better  churches.  He 
could  not  rest  until  he  made  an  effort  to  build  a 
better  church  in  Chicago.  Few  men  possessed  the 
power  to  inspire  the  Church  with  such  an  under- 
taking. The  times  were  hard,  and  the  members 
were  poor.  Many  of  them  were  mechanics  earning 
a dollar  and  a quarter  a day.  It  was  proposed  to 
make  the  seats  free,  provided  six  thousand  dollars 
could  be  raised  before  the  completion,  but  four 
thousand  dollars  was  all  that  could  be  obtained. 
The  enterprise  was  near  being  abandoned,  when  it 
was  the  only  saving  measure  to  sell  the  pews.  The 
old  and  venerable  church,  a portion  of  which  was 
the  first  church  of  any  kind  in  the  city,  was  re- 
moved in  the  Spring  of  1845  to  the  corner  of  Dear- 
born and  Madison  Streets,  and  there  the  society 
continued  to  worship  during  the  Summer.  During 
one  Sabbath,  while  the  church  was  on  wheels,  the 
society  had  no  gathering  place,  and  went  wandering 
like  lost  sheep  over  the  city.  Brother  Ryan  gath- 
ered them  for  preaching  in  the  Trinity  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  afternoon.  In  the  mean  time  the 
work  of  building  commenced.  The  house  was 
ninety-eight  by  sixty-five  feet,  fronting  on  Wash- 


CHICAGO  METHODISM. 


289 


ington  Street.  About  the  1st  of  July  a crowd  gath- 
ered to  witness  the  ceremonies  of  laying  the  corner- 
stone. Addresses  were  delivered  by  J.  R.  Goodrich 
and  Wm.  M.  D.  Ryan.  Mr.  Ryan  was  in  his  best 
vein,  swelling  with  thoughts  that  ere  long  our 
preachers  should  greet  each  other  from  the  Atlantic 
to  the  Pacific  shores.  All  Summer  long  by  degrees 
the  walls  went  up,  the  members  gathering  within 
the  old  church  the  while  for  parting  blessings. 

During  the  Fall  an  event  occurred,  common  now, 
uncommon  then.  C.  B.  Tippett,  book  agent  at 
New  York,  passed  by  on  his  way  to  the  Peoria  Con- 
ference, and  remained  over  Sabbath.  He  preached 
three  times,  giving  the  most  thrilling  sermons  ever 
heard  up  to  that  time  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Ryan  was 
already  away  at  conference,  leaving  the  pulpit  to  be 
supplied.  In  the  morning  an  elderly  man,  with 
old-fashioned  Methodist  preacher  coat,  entered  the 
pulpit.  The  whisper  went  round  that  it  was  some 
local  preacher  picked  up  for  the  day.  As  it  was 
conference  Sunday  we  were  fully  satisfied.  The 
first  hymn  was  read  in  rather  a dull  way,  and  we 
were  looking  for  a sleepy  time.  The  preacher  be- 
gan to  pray  in  a cool  manner,  but  ere  long  he 
awaked  the  congregation.  He  began  his  sermon, 
and  all  eyes  were  speaking  to  friends  across  the 
house.  The  effect  was  electrical.  Never  had  such 
a sermon  been  delivered  within  the  old  walls. 
Throughout  that  day  crowds  thronged  the  church. 
The  first  Sunday  after  conference  the  first  quarterly- 
meeting was  to  come  off.  Friday  night  was  prayer- 
meeting evening,  but  as  yet  there  was  no  elder. 

25 


290 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Brother  Ryan  at  the  close  of  meeting  informed  the 
people  of  the  disappointment,  and  Avas  making 
apologies  when  all  at  once  he  thrilled  us  by  saying 
that  he  had  laid  hold  of  C.  B.  Tippett,  who  was 
passing  through,  and  he  was  to  attend  the  coming 
meeting.  Saturday  evening  Mr.  Tippett  preached 
and  called  mourners.  There  was  no  special  revival 
interest  in  the  Church,  and  but  one  person  went 
forward,  and  that  was  only  a boy  of  seventeen.  Fresh 
from  his  day^s  work,  with  curly  head  and  dingy  coat, 
this  apprentice  bowed  alone  at  the  altar.  It  was 
his  first  religious  move.  A small  affair,  indeed, 
was  that  Saturday  evening  meeting.  But  that  boy, 
A.  R.  Scranton,  who  Avas  probably  the  last  mourner 
that  ever  Avent  to  that  old  altar,  Avas  for  forty 
years  one  of  the  faithful  Methodists  of  Chicago, 
having  been  the  chief  agent  in  building  Grace 
Church,  one  of  the  finest  Methodist  churches  in 
the  city.  That  one  sermon,  it  may  be,  was  the  little 
pebble  throAvn  into  the  ocean  to  set  in  motion  cir- 
cling waves  that  may  span  centuries.  That  youth 
was  one  of  the  three  appointed  in  1865  as  the  Chi- 
cago Centenary  Committee.  The  old  church  after 
the  new  was  dedicated  Avas  first  used  as  a cabinet 
shop.  In  1852  it  was  sawn  asunder,  and  the  two 
pieces  faced  about,  fronting  Dearborn  Street,  and 
made  into  double  dwellings.  In  the  Summer  of 
1864  these  were  moved  away  to  give  place  to  a 
large  block. 

In  November  the  elegant  and  spacious  ncAv  Clark 
Street  Church  Avas  completed.  Fifteen  hundred 
people  gathered  one  pleasant  Thursday  evening  to 


CHICAGO  METHODISM, 


291 


join  in  its  dedication.  The  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  presiding  elder,  James  Mitchell;  text,  ^^How 
shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation 
A large  subscription  was  raised  after  the  sermon. 
Orrington  Lunt  had  that  very  day  in  the  sale  of 
wheat  made  sixteen  hundred  dollars,  and  as  a thank 
offering  for  this,  his  first  success  of  any  account  in 
business  life,  he  contributed  fifty  dollars  in  addition 
to  a large  subscription  before  paid.  This  was  now 
the  first  really  fine  church  in  the  city,  and  had  it 
not  been  the  first  it  is  probable  it  could  never  have 
been  built.  The  basement  was  yet  unfinished,  but 
so  cheerful  did  the  Church  feel.  Brother  Ryan  took 
them  while  in  tune,  invited  the  people  to  an  open 
door  love-feast,  where  in  one  evening  sufficient  was 
raised  to  finish  the  basement,  with  four  class  rooms. 
The  first  Sabbath  after  these  last  were  finished  there 
were  held  a series  of  class-meetings  such  as  Chicago 
had  never  before  witnessed,  and  the  noisiest  prayer- 
meetings  we  were  ever  in,  except  the  Nazarite  meet- 
ings, were  held  for  a time  in  those  rooms.  The 
building  cost  in  those  days  of  very  low  prices  twelve 
thousand  dollars. 

The  old  Clark  Street  society  now  entered  upon 
her  regular  work  with  all  the  conveniences  needful. 
The  Sunday-school,  with  J.  A.  Hoisington  as  super- 
intendent, met  in  the  lecture-room,  and  fourteen 
classes  in  the  class-rooms;  four  in  the  morning  at 
nine  o^clock,  four  at  noon,  four  at  four  o^clock,  and 
two  on  Wednesday  evening.  Those  class-meetings 
were  most  glorious  institutions.  The  leaders  were 
Isaiah  Shaw,  John  B.  Mitchell,  G.  C.  Cook,  — . 


292 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


JoneS;  Grant  Goodrich,  A.  Biglow,  H.  W.  Clark, 
D.  M.  Bradley,  Christopher  Metz,  and  George  F. 
Foster.  Among  the  leading  members  of  the  Church 
who  entered  the  new  ho,use  of  worship  were  Will- 
iam Wheeler,  who  came  in  1838,  and  who  was  a 
prominent  hardware  merchant;  Christopher  Metz, 
a workman  in  Mr.  WheeleFs  tin  shop ; George  F. 
Foster,  who  came  in  1837,  and  set  up  as  a sail 
maker.  He  was  poor,  indeed,  and  well  remembers 
a schooner  that  came  in  with  tattered  sail  to  give 
himself  and  George  A.  Robb  work.  Orrington 
Lunt  arrived  in  1842,  and  began  a little  dickering 
trade  in  feathers,  cranberries,  etc.  He  commenced 
buying  wheat  in  1844,  and  at  once  began  to  prosper 
in  business.  Few  will  forget  who  heard  it  his  sing- 
ing, When  for  eternal  worlds  we  steer,^^  and  The 
morning  light  is  breaking in  1843.  A.  Biglow 
arrived  in  1844,  and  entered  the  mercantile  business. 
J.  K.  Bottsford  was  converted  at  the  Borein  revival 
in  1839,  and  was  a hardware  merchant  in  1845. 
H.  W.  Clark,  a lawyer,  came  from  Brooklyn  in  1845. 
Grant  Goodrich  came  in  1834,  and  as  a lawyer  and 
judge  has  ever  held  a prominent  position.  He  is, 
if  we  mistake  not,  the  oldest  permanent  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Chicago.  J.  W. 
Waughop  was  originally  from  Norwalk,  Virginia, 
but  came  from  Washington,  Illinois,  to  Chicago  in 
1844.  He  was  a tailor  when  he  came,  and  in  1845 
was  a young  law  student.  Isaiah  Shaw  was  a loud, 
zealous  brother  from  Joliet.  G.  C.  Cook  came  from 
the  State  of  New  York  in  1844,  and  with  a brother 
was  for  a time  engaged  in  the  American  Temper- 


CHICAGO  METHODISM, 


293 


ance  House.  In  1845  he  went  into  the  grocery 
business  on  the  corner  of  Lake  and  State  Streets 
with  Mr.  Satterlee,  and  the  firm  of  Satterlee  & 
Cook  was  long  known.  D.  M.  Bradley  came  in 
1837.  He  was  a printer,  and  entering  the  office  of 
the  Chicago  Democrat^  edited  by  John  Wentworth, 
he  was  the  main  manager  of  that  office  for  twenty 
years.  He  at  once  on  coming  to  Chicago  became 
an  efficient  class-leader,  and  continued  to  perform 
the  duties  of  the  office  until  his  death  in  1857, 
keeping,  if  we  mistake  not,  the  same  class  the  whole 
time.  The  present  writer,  with  Mrs.  Garrett,  was 
a member  of  that  class  for  several  years.  He  was 
a native  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  was  raised 
by  a pious  mother,  and  experienced  religion  under 
the  labors  of  G.  Storrs  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 
Among  his  last  utterances  were:  ^^This  is  all  my 
hope  and  all  my  plea,  for  me  the  Savior  died.^^  It 
is  all  through  Christ.^^  He  died  September  8,  1857, 
and  his  funeral  discourse  was  preached  at  the  Clark 
Street  Church  by  Hooper  Crews;  text,  James  iv,  14: 
^^For  what  is  your  life?^^  After  his  conversion  he 
sought  an  education  to  prepare  himself  for  the  min- 
istry, but  not  having  good  health  he  never  entered 
the  pulpit.  His  quiet,  yet  pathetic  voice,  uttering 
melodious  strains  in  speech  and  song  in  the  love- 
feasts,  is  yet  in  its  tenderness  vibrating  upon  our 
ears.  Robinson  Tripp  came  to  Chicago  in  1834, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  prompt  and  efficient  Sun- 
day-school teachers.  J.  A.  Hoisington  came  in 
1843  from  Green  Street  Church,  New  York  City, 
where  he  had  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 


294 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


school.  He  became  superintendent  in  1845  in  Chi- 
cago. He  was  a book-binder  and  book-seller.  Mrs. 
Eliza  Garrett  will  be  mentioned  more  fully  here- 
after. Robert  Shepard  was  a true,  quiet  brother, 
who  did  the  carpenter  work  on  the  new  church. 
His  son  Robert  is  a member  of  the  Rock  River 
Conference.  We  have  mentioned  many  of  the  main 
members,  but  besides  these  there  was  a host  of 
faithful  men,  such  as  the  Thomsons,  the  Turners, 
Dr.  D.  S.  Smith,  Martin  Kimball,  and  others  too 
numerous  to  mention. 

During  the  Winter  of  1846  there  was  quite  a 
revival,  but  no  general  move.  Some  quite  promi- 
nent men  were  converted.  The  first  year  in  the 
new  church  closed  with  three  hundred  and  sixteen 
members,  and  Chauncey  Hobart,  a transfer  from  the 
Illinois  Conference,  came  on  as  the  preacher  in  1846. 
This  man  was  really  an  able  preacher,  and  since 
then,  in  connection  with  the  work  in  Wisconsin  and 
Minnesota,  has  shown  himself  a worthy  Methodist 
preacher.  But  from  several  causes  matters  went 
rather  ill  at  Clark  Street  during  his  year.  First, 
it  was  no  common  man  that  could  follow  William 
M.  D.  Ryan ; and  second,  Mr.  Hobart  was  so  mixed 
up  with  the  Mitchell  difficulty  he  was  unable  to 
accomplish  much.  As  a general  rule,  it  is  best  to 
pass  over  scenes  of  unfortunate  occurrence,  because 
of  the  tendency  to  open  up  old  wounds,  but  being 
well  acquainted  with  every  phase  of  the  Mitchell 
diflSculty  we  consider  it  too  late  to  do  injury  by 
reference  to  it.  It  will  not  injure  any  one  connected 
with  the  past;  it  will  do  good  for  the  future. 


CHICAGO  METHODISM. 


295 


We  gain  experience  by  the  follies  and  failures  of 
the  past. 

In  1845  James  Mitchell^  a brother  of  the 
noble  John  T.  Mitchell,  succeeded  that  kindest  of 
men,  J.  R.  Goodrich,  as  presiding  elder  on  the  Chi- 
cago District.  He  had  at  an  early  day  been  an 
active  itinerant  in  Southern  Illinois,  and  on  marry- 
ing had  located  and  settled  in  business  at  Plattville, 
Wisconsin.  There  he  failed  and  took  the  benefit 
of  the  Bankrupt  Act^^  in  a manner  that  injured 
his  reputation.  He  was  readmitted  to  the  confer- 
ence in  1842  and  stationed  at  Racine.  In  1843  he 
was  appointed  to  Milwaukee,  and  in  1844  to  Mil- 
waukee District.  At  the  conference  of  1843  charges 
were  preferred  against  him,  but  as  nothing  could 
be  made  out  his  character  passed.  After  a study  of 
his  character  for  years  we  conclude  that  he  meant 
to  be  honest,  and  while  on  the  Chicago  District  was 
really  seeking  to  be  a humble  Christian,  but  there 
seemed  to  be  a moral  defect  somewhere,  causing  him 
to  prevaricate  and  be  what  men  with  a keen  sense 
of  honor  call  tricky.  Holiness  was  a special  theme 
with  him,  but  not  enjoying  this  fullness  he  was  left 
to  an  imperious,  ambitious  spirit.  When  he  went  to 
Chicago  the  Western  Citizen,  a Garrisonian  abolition 
paper,  was  published  in  the  city.  The  Methodist 
Church  had  unfortunately  hanging  upon  her  South- 
ern skirts  the  foul  blot  of  slavery.  The  Citizen  had 
always  taken  special  pains  to  irritate  the  sore  places 
on  the  Methodist  body  until  Methodists  considered 
the  paper  an  enemy.  The  Citizen  at  once  began  to 
bring  charges  against  the  Methodist  elder.  In  the 


296 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


pulpit  the  elder  sought  refuge  in  the  affections  of 
the  Church  against  what  he  called,  and  we  thought, 
persecution.  In  this  way  the  Methodists  in  gen- 
eral were  made  to  rally  around  him.  We  did  not 
then  know  the  facts.  In  going  to  Wisconsin  Mr. 
Mitchell  took  with  him  two  negro  girls,  belonging, 
as  was  said,  to  his  wife.  When  they  became  unsafe 
there  he  sent  them  to  St.  Louis,  and  was  at  the 
time  of  which  we  speak  receiving  in  remittances  the 
amount  of  their  wages.  The  first  year  rolled  along 
quite  smoothly.  The  elder  was  an  able,  winning 
man,  and  his  friends  were  many.  The  second  year 
began.  Mr.  Ryan  was  gone,  and  a man  of  Elder 
MitchelPs  views  was  in  the  pulpit.  James  Mitchell 
had  known  Methodism  only  as  it  existed  in  the 
South.  At  Clark  Street  they  were  governed  by 
Eastern  views.  The  elder  pleaded  for  free  seats,  con- 
gregational singing,  and  things  akin,  and  the  Clark 
Street  choir  was  going  beyond  all  measure  into 
violins.  Mr.  Mitchell  set  about  the  work  of  Meth- 
odizing^^ the  Church.  Such  difficulties  frequently 
happen.  A man  from  New  England  thinks  the 
Yankee  way  is  the  only  true  type;  the  Southerner 
concludes  Methodism  as  he  has  seen  it  is  the  only 
true  way.  Besides,  at  this  time,  the  Church  all 
through  the  country  was  in  a transition  state  in  its 
modes  of  singing  and  manner  of  seating  a congre- 
gation. Chauncey  Hobart  worked  up  to  the  elder’s 
views.  An  effort  was  made  to  get  rid  of  the  choir, 
but  the  effort  failed  in  a reaction  that  brought  a gay 
leader  and  two  or  three  violins  into  the  gallery. 
For  once  in  the  history  of  Methodism  the  preacher 


CHICAGO  METHODmL 


297 


used  his  power  of  removing  leaders  imprudently. 
All  the  leaders  opposed  to  the  new  measures  were 
removed,  and  those  that  were  not  removed  resigned, 
and  men  agreeing  with  the  elder  were  appointed. 
We  need  not  enlarge.  Any  reader  of  experience 
can  see  what  a state  of  things  this  mode  of  pro- 
cedure would  bring  on.  Meantime  the  elder  touched 
his  notes  to  the  key  of  old-fashioned  Methodism,^^ 
and  this  took  with  those  who  had  first,  when  poor, 
known  Methodism  in  its  poverty,  forgetting  that 
there  is  no  more  reason  for  continuing  to  worship 
in  a barn  than  to  live  in  a cabin  or  to  travel  by 
lumber-wagon. 

Let  us  quote  the  journal  of  a Mitchellite  of 
that  day : James  Mitchell  is  as  firm  as  a rock  on 

all  the  old  landmarks  of  Methodism — free  seats,  free 
grace,  and  free  Gospel.^^  That  is  a key  to  the  whole 
difficulty.  Towards  the  close  of  the  conference  year 
in  1847  the  Clark  Street  people  thought  that,  to 
preserve  harmony,  it  were  better  to  have  a change 
of  elders.  This  change  they  intended  to  effect  in 
a quiet  way.  But  Mr.  Mitchell,  learning  this,  on 
his  last  round  on  his  district,  procured  the  passage 
of  resolutions  requesting  his  return.  They  were  all 
a copy  of  the  following : 

Resolved,  That  we,  as  members  of  the  Quar- 
terly-meeting Conference  of  Crystal  Lake  Circuit, 
are  well  satisfied  with  the  ability  and  usefulness  of 
our  beloved  presiding  elder,  the  Rev.  James  Mitch- 
ell, and  would  be  much  pleased  with  his  continu- 
ance on  the  district.’^ 

As  a specimen  of  the  elder^s  prevarication,  let 


298 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


us  say  that  at  the  conference  of  1847  he  was  dis- 
tinctly asked  if  he  had  had  any  thing  to  do  with  get- 
ting up  these  resolutions.  He  answered  that  they 
were  gotten  up  by  his  friends  without  his  knowledge, 
while  several  members  of  the  different  quarterly 
conferences  told  the  bishop  that  they  were  passed 
at  the  request  of  the  elder.  The  conference  of  1847 
was  held  at  Chicago.  A representation  of  the  state 
of  things  at  Clark  Street  was  made  to  the  bishop 
by  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Clark  Street 
official  board.  Mr.  Mitchell  then  took  such  action 
as  forced  these  officials  into  open  antagonism.  In- 
stead of  leaving  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the 
bishop  and  elders,  as  was  most  wise,  the  official 
members  were  compelled  to  prefer  charges.  The 
charges  were  gotten  up  in  a hurry,  and  were  friv- 
olous in  the  extreme.  Elder  Mitchell  was  guilty 
of  falsehood  by  saying  a certain  person  was  dicta- 
torial,^^ and  by  saying  that  the  Clark  Street  officials 
were  not  Methodists  but  Congregational!* sts.  The 
trial  brought  out  all  the  ill-will  and  irritations  of 
the  whole  Church’s  history.  But  any  one  will  know 
that  such  charges  could  amount  to  but  little,  and 
the  matter  was  for  the  time  laid  over.  Mr.  Mitch- 
ell was  placed  in  a superannuated  relation,  and  a 
committee  appointed  to  try  his  case.  The  commit- 
tee met  in  the  Spring  of  1848,  and  suspended  him 
until  conference.  At  the  conference  a leading  mem- 
ber of  Clark  Street  Church  appeared,  and  pros- 
ecuted the  case  before  the  conference,  and  a leading 
member  of  Indiana  Street  Church  visited  the  seat 
of  conference  at  Canton  to  work  as  a lobby  mem- 


CHICAGO  METHODISM, 


299 


ber  in  Mr.  MitchelPs  favor,  getting  up  indignation 
meetings  among  the  citizens  to  intimidate  the  con- 
ference. A new  set  of  charges  had  been  drawn  up. 
They  referred  entirely  to  the  abduction  of  the  slave 
girls.  The  conference  sustained  all  the  specifica- 
tions, but  cleared  him  on  the  charges,  and  allowed 
him  to  retire  untouched ; and  in  the  Minutes  we 
have  this  anomalous  record : J.  Mitchell,  trans- 

ferred — but  to  what  place  readers  are  left  to  guess. 
He  at  once  transferred  himself  to  St.  Louis,  and 
being  admitted  to  the  Church  South,  was  stationed 
at  Booneville.  In  a year  or  two  he  was  suspended 
from  the  Church  South  for  falsehood ; but  the  de- 
cision, on  account  of  an  informality  of  trial,  was 
reversed  by  the  General  Conference  on  his  appeal 
to  that  body.  In  1860  he  was  expelled  from  the 
Church  for  selling  slaves  that  were  mortgaged, 
without  apprising  the  purchaser  of  the  fact;  and 
the  last  we  knew  of  him  he  was  preaching  among 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterians. 

The  Rock  River  Conference  has  never  had  a 
case  so  difficult  to  deal  with.  The  trial  consumed 
more  time  than  any  other  case  ever  before  that 
body.  The  meagre  records  of  it  cover  fifty-eight 
ledger  pages  of  the  conference  journal.  He  will 
appear  occasionally  in  these  pages  where  the  friends 
of  the  elder  raised  difficulties ; for  be  it  known  that 
the  course  pursued  by  him  in  the  commencement 
of  the  difficulties  won  him  friends  all  over  the  dis- 
trict, and  in  Chicago  many  members  passed  through 
sorrow  and  secession  ere  matters  returned  to  a set- 
tled condition.  It  was  one  of  those  quarrels  about 


300 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


a man  where  the  causes  of  irritation  lie  in  the  man 
himself,  and  the  parties  are  sincere,  doing  what 
they  think  is  for  the  glory  of  God.  The  Clark 
Street  members  looked  to  what  they  considered  the 
interests  of  Zion;  the  others  sympathized  with  one 
whom  they  considered  a holy  man  under  persecu- 
tion. Many  of  our  worst  Church  difficulties  are 
brought  on  by  sincere  but  mistaken  men,  wbo  be- 
come a little  willful  withal.  The  very  men  who 
went  in  for  James  MitchelPs  old-fashioned  Meth- 
odism have  nearly  all  adopted  the  very  measures 
Mr.  Mitchell  opposed.  The  Methodist  Church  has 
fewer  of  these  difficulties  than  any  other ; for  the 
itinerant  system  removes  irritating  objects,  while 
other  Churches  almost  always  have  a difficulty  when 
they  attempt  to  remove  ministers.  The  chief  evils 
of  the  Mitchell  difficulty  were  felt  at  Indiana  and 
Canal  Street  Churches.  In  places  on  the  district 
there  were  disturbances ; but  all  the  worst  features 
of  the  sad  affair  were  confined  to  Chicago.  Many  a 
man  learned  lessons  in  those  days  that  have  proved 
profitable. 

In  1846  there  was  still  a heavy  debt  on  the  Clark 
Street  Church.  They  had  a fair  in  December,  re- 
sulting in  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars, 
and  in  the  Winter  of  1847  a tax  was  levied  of  one 
dollar  on  all  female  members,  and  of  three  dollars 
on  the  male  members,  and  a tax  of  one  per  cent  on 
property.  Soon  after  Chauncey  Hobart  arrived  the 
congregation  was  blessed  with  one  of  those  treats, 
so  seldom  then,  so  common  now,  that  thrill  the 
hearts  of  people.  One  Sunday  morning  in  Septem- 


CHICAGO  METHODISM. 


301 


ber,  1846^  Mr.  Hobart  preached,  and  a young  man, 
almost  blind,  arose  to  close.  He  could  not  read, 
but  recited,  O for  a thousand  tongues  to  sing 
It  seemed  like  an  electric  shock,^^  says  one  who 
heard  it.  The  eyes  of  the  whole  congregation 
sparkled.  The  reciting  of  that  old  hymn  was  heav- 
enly! As  he  concluded  he  said;  plain  old 
hymn,  brethren ; let  us  endeavor  to  sing  it  with  the 
spirit  and  the  understanding.^  This  from  a mere 
boy  seemed  almost  too  .much.  He  prayed  with  the 
most  melodious  voice  I have  ever  heard.  Brother 
Hobart  gave  notice  that  the  young  man  would 
preach  in  the  afternoon.  The  news  spread  like 
wild-fire,  and  long  before  the  time  appointed  crowds 
flocked  to  the  house.  The  church  was  completely 
crowded.  He  took  for  his  text,  ^ Let  us  therefore 
come  boldly,^  etc.  In  the  little  experience  I have 
had,  this  beat  all  that  my  imagination  had  ever 
pictured.  You  could  have  heard  a pin  fall  during 
the  entire  sermon.  Every  one  was  enraptured  with 
the  little  young  blind  man.^^  This  was  the  first 
appearance  of  William  H.  Milburn,  who  was  then 
chaplain  to  Congress,  before  a Chicago  audience. 

At  the  conference  of  1847  Philo  Judson  was  ap- 
pointed to  Chicago.  His  prudence  and  upright  firm- 
ness did  much  to  preserve  the  integrity  of  the  Church. 
At  the  end  of  the  year  he  was  removed  to  take  charge 
of  Mt.  Morris  District.  He  was  followed  by  Rich- 
ard Haney,  who  remained  two  years.  During  the 
last  year  there  was  a gracious  revival,  which  aroused 
the  Church  and  brought  in  several  faithful  mem- 
bers. The  year  closed  with  three  hundred  and 


302 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


seventy-five  members,  and  at  the  conference  of 
1850  S.  P.  Keyes  was  sent  to  the  charge.  He  was 
then  in  his  prime,  and  one  of  the  most  popular 
preachers  of  the  conference.  Brother  Keyes  re- 
mained two  years.  During  the  Winter  of  1852,^^ 
says  J udge  Goodrich,  a most  interesting  and 
blessed  revival  occurred.  Since  the  great  revival 
of  1839  we  have  had  none  which,  in  my  estimation, 
gives  so  fair  promise  of  permanent  good.  Its  sub- 
jects are  mostly  young  men  and  women,  and  a 
majority  children  of  pious  parents,  who  have  been 
trained  in  the  Sabbath-schools  and  nurtured  on  the 
lap  of  the  Church. 

S.  P.  Keyes  was  followed  in  1852  by  John 
Clark,  who  continued  in  the  charge  until  his  death 
in  1854,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Hooper  Crews. 
In  1853,  a traveler,  T.  C.  Gardner,  gives  this  de- 
scription of  the  Church:  Clark  Street  Church  is 

one  of  the  largest  Churches  in  this  great  section  of 
the  republic,  having  one  of  the  finest  congregations 
that  any  of  you  Down- Easters  ever  preached  to. 
Intelligent  and  most  respectfully  attentive,  and 
evincing  by  the  revealings  of  the  mind  through 
the  eye  and  features  a comprehension  of  your  the- 
ology, and  such  an  appreciation  of  your  logic  and 
all  the  good  qualities  you  can  put  into  your  dis- 
course, as  to  make  you  feel  that,  give  you  such  an 
audience,  and  you  would  make  pulpit  efforts  worthy 
a Christian  minister.  You  feel  also  that  you  are 
really  in  a Methodist  congregation  ; for  a well-timed 
and  a well-toned  amen  offends  not  the  refinement  of 
worshipers.^^ 


CHICAGO  METHODISM, 


303 


In  1858  the  old  and  sanred  temple  was  torn 
down  to  make  way  for  the  new  block.  It  had  stood 
nearly  twelve  years.  In  it  hundreds  of  ^ouls  had 
been  converted,  and  had  consecrated  themselves  to 
God.  A new  generation  of  Methodists  had  grown 
up  around  its  altars,  and  it  had  just  begun  to  put 
on  all  the  sacredness  of  home.  The  members  of 
the  Rock  River  Conference  had  twice  gathered 
within  its  walls  for  their  sessions,  once  in  1847,  and 
again  in  1853,  and  from  its  pulpit  had  been  preached 
many  glorious  sermons.  But  business  was  crowding 
southward,  and  the  clatter  of  hoofs  and  wheels  upon 
the  streets  so  disturbed  all  worship,  it  was  thought 
better  to  change.  The  Methodist  Church  Block 
was  erected  in  1858,  and  until  the  fire  of  1871  the 
old  society  worshiped  within  its  walls. 

Many  of  the  members  having  moved  to  the 
southern  outskirts,  a colony  of  Clark  Street  built 
in  1864  Trinity  Church,  some  two  miles  south  of 
Lake  Street,  near  the  lake  shore,  for  their  accommo- 
dation, and  there  finally  gathered  many  of  Clark 
Street^s  old  and  faithful  members. 

The  Clark  Street  society  has  sent  out  several 
ministers ; we  can  not  tell  exactly  how  many.  There 
are  David  Worthington,  of  the  Iowa  Conference; 
Henry  Moys,  of  the  Kansas  Conference;  and  James 
McClane,  A.  D.  Field,  and  William  Kegan,  of  the 
Rock  River  Conference.  James  McClane,  who 
was  the  son  of  a Protestant  overseer  of  an  estate, 
had  been  religious  in  Ireland.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1842,  stopped  awhile  in  Canada,  and  arrived 
in  Chicago  in  the  Fall,  in  time  to  be  one  of  the 


304 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


first  converts  in  N.  P.  Cunningham^s  meeting,  being 
converted  as  early  as  November,  1842.  In  the 
Spring  of  1843  he  went  to  Mt.  Morris,  where,  part 
of  the  time  at  school,  part  of  the  time  working,  he 
remained  until  the  Spring  of  1847,  when  he  was 
sent  to  Little  Rock  Circuit  as  a supply  by  Milton 
Bourne,  the  presiding  elder.  In  the  Fall  he  was 
admitted  to  the  conference,  of  which  ever  since  he 
has  been  a member. 

A.  D.  Field  came  with  his  fathers  family  when 
seven  years  of  age  to  Chicago  in  June,  1835.  Here 
he  remained  most  of  the  time  until  1846.  Being 
for  a time  near  Elgin,  on  Fox  River,  he  made  a 
profession  of  religion  in  November,  1842,  and  going 
a week  after  to  Chicago  he  became  connected  with 
the  Clark  Street  Church  and  Sunday-school,  being 
a member  of  D.  M.  Bradley’s  class.  He  left  for 
Mt.  Morris  in  1846,  joined  conference  in  1848,  and 
remaineth  unto  this  day. 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  305 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES. 

CANAL  Street  Church,  as  we  have  seen,  received 
Sias  Bolles  in  1845.  He  reniained  until  the 
conference  of  1847.  Nothing  of  any  special  note 
occurred,  only  that  they  were  years  of  great 
religious  peace  and  prosperity  to  the  Church.  In 
1846  there  were  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  mem- 
bers. In  1847  Harvey  S.  Brunson  was  sent  to  the 
charge.  After  a few  months  his  health  failed,  and 
the  Church  employed  James  Mitchell,  who  had  been 
left  in  a superannuated  relation.  The  Indiana 
Street  Church,  organized  in  1847,  and  Canal  Street 
were  both  for  Mr.  Mitchell.  There  was  a war  upon 
the  subject,  which  produced  discussion  in  the  pulpits, 
and  on  the  streets,  in  the  papers,  and  even  among 
the  jockey  clubs.  The  two  Churches  named  were 
enthusiastic  defenders  of  their  old  elder.  He  sup- 
plied the  Canal  Street  pulpit  until  April.  The  com- 
mittee appointed  at  the  last  conference  met  in  that 
month  for  preliminary  trial,  and  suspended  Mr. 
Mitchell  from  the  ministry  until  conference.  This 
made  it  the  duty  of  the  presiding  elder,  John 
Chandler,  to  remove  him,  and  to  supply  the  place 
with  other  preachers.  At  the  quarterly-meeting, 
where  this  change  was  undertaken,  there  was  held 

26 


306 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


a love-feast  on  Monday  night.  attended  their 
love-feast,  as  it  was  called/^  says  a resident  of  the 
city,  but  the  name  did  not  apply  very  well.  Elder 
Chandler  told  the  first  one  that  spoke  to  cease 
speaking.  The  members  urged  him  to  go  on,  and 
he  did  go  on.  All  the  members  that  spoke  ex- 
pressed a great  deal  of  love  for  their  beloved  pastor 
who  was  to  be  taken  from  them.  . . . Elder  Chandler 
soon  closed  the  meeting.  But  very  few  left,  and  we 
had  a general  class-meeting — so  Elder  Mitchell 
called  it — and  said  all  that  wanted  to  speak  might 
have  the  privilege  if  they  had  to  stay  until  morn- 
ing ; and  they  did  stay  until  all  had  an  opportunity 
to  free  their  minds.^^  We  have  wondered  if  James 
Mitchell  and  those  members  did  not  have  a little 
will  of  their  own  about  that  time.  After  the  shelv- 
ing of  Mr.  Mitchell  at  the  Canton  Conference  in 
1848  the  members  of  the  official  boards  of  Indiana 
and  Canal  Street  Churches  voted  in  a sort  of  con- 
vention not  to  receive  as  preacher  or  elder  any 
person  who  had  voted  in  any  way  condemning 
James  Mitchell.  J.  F.  Devore  being  sick,  could 
not  vote,  and  was  sent  to  Indiana  Street.  R.  A. 
Blanchard  being  absent,  we  believe,  did  not  vote, 
and  was  appointed  to  Canal  Street.  Hooper  Crews, 
the  great  favorite  of  the  Chicago  people  in  those 
days,  had  voted,  but  was  sent  to  the  Chicago  Dis- 
trict to  face  a storm  he  had  never  met  before.  The 
official  members  of  the  two  Churches  passed  and 
signed  resolutions  that  they  would  not  pay  him  a cent. 

Because  Brother  Blanchard  would  not  .join  the 
crusade  against  Elder  Crews  he  was  told  by  one  of 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES,  307 


the  principal  stewards  that  they  would  not  sustain 
him,  and  that  he  would  have  to  leave.  Mr.  Blanch- 
ard thought  he  should  try  and  do  his  duty.  The 
steward  said  he  could  not  stay,  for  they  would  not 
support  him.  Mr.  Blanchard  said : Not  as  bad  as 

that,  I hope.^^  ^^Yes,  as  bad  as  that,  and  we  ^11 
starve  you  out,^’  the  steward  replied.  Mr.  Blanchard 
said  he  would  do  his  duty,  if  he  had  to  beg  from 
door  to  door.  Brother  Blanchard  found  things  in 
a sad  state,  but  by  constant  pastoral  visiting  soon 
won  in  some  measure  the  good  will  of  the  really 
good  but  mistaken  people.  The  quarterly-meeting 
at  Canal  Street  was  to  be  the  first  on  the  district. 
Brother  Crews  had  learned  the  state  of  things,  and 
was  very  despondent.  The  Canal  Street  Quarterly 
Conference,  which  intended  to  repudiate  the  pre- 
siding elder,  was  to  meet  Monday  evening.  In  the 
morning  of  that  day  Mr.  Drews,  with  demeanor  as 
solemn  as  death,  visited  Mr.  Blanchard.  After  a 
moment  of  silence  the  suspense  was  interrupted  by 
the  following  conversation : 

Brother  Blanchard,^^  said  Brother  Crews,  with 
a deep  drawn  sigh,  and  in  a very  slow  manner, 
can  not  be  at  your  quarterly  conference  this 
evening.^^ 

What  does  this  mean?  Where  are  you  going 
am  going  to  pack  up  our  trunks,^^  said  Brother 
Crews,  ^^and  take  my  family  and  start  to-morrow 
morning  for  my  mother’s  in  Kentucky,  and  that  is 
the  last  of  Hooper  Crews.” 

Brother  Blanchard  found  he  was  determined, 
but  received  a promise  that  he  would  come  over  in 


308 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


the  evening.  The  conference  met  with  three  loyal 
members  present,  and  organized.  Mr.  Blanchard 
asked  Brother  Crews  if  he  could  be  present  in  four 
weeks.  Without  waiting  to  think,  he  said  that  if 
wanted  he  could  be  present.  The  conference  then 
adjourned  to  meet  in  a month.  At  the  end  of  that 
time,  by  the  kind  exertions  of  the  pastor,  most  of 
the  members  had  come  to  better  thoughts,  and  Mr. 
Crews  and  Blanchard  passed  through  that  year  un- 
scathed. There  Avas  a good  revival  at  Canal  Street, 
and  they  supported  their  preacher  well.  The  greater 
perplexities  were  at  Indiana  Street;  and  Canal 
Street  Church  passed  on  through  the  days  of  per- 
plexity to  days  of  prosperity.  A fev/  members  left 
the  two  Churches  and  organized  a Protestant  Meth- 
odist Church  in  the  Fall  of  1849.  The  first  sermon 
preached  in  the  city  by  any  member  of  that  denom- 
nation  was  preached  by  a Mr.  Young,  on  a day  of 
fasting  and  prayer  for  abatement  of  cholera  in  the 
school-house  on  the  West  Side  in  August,  1849. 
Thomas  George,  one  of  the  best  members  of  old 
Clark  Street,  and  for  some  time  of  Canal  Street, 
was  one  of  the  main  agents  in  the  organization  of 
this  new  Church. 

R.  A.  Blanchard  remained  two  years,  in  which 
time  the  Church  arose  from  her  sorrows  to  pleasant 
days.  He  found  one  hundred  and  ninety-three 
members,  and  did  well  in  leaving  as  many  as  one 
hundred  and  thirty-seven. 

In  1852  the  old  church  became  too  small,  and 
being  surrounded  by  the  bustle  of  business,  the  so- 
ciety took  measures  to  erect  a new  church  on  Jef- 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  309 

FEESON  Steeet.  This  was  completed  and  dedicated 
February  5,  1854,  by  Clark  T.  Hinman,  at  which 
time  two  thousand  three  hundred  dollars  was  taken 
on  subscription  to  meet  indebtedness.  The  society 
removed  to  the  basement  the  10th  of  February, 
1853,  worshiping  February  3d,  the  last  time,  in  the 
old  time-honored  building,  which  they  had  entered 
just  eight  years  before.  We  are  sorry  to  know  that 
the  old  chapel  was  turned  by  the  purchasers  into  a 
ball  alley.  The  upper  room  of  the  new  church  was 
not  finished  until  a year  after.  The  subject  of  Dr. 
Hinman^s  dedication  sermon  was,  ^^The  strength  of 
the  Church.^^  J.  E.  Wilson,  Bias  Bolles,  and  Simp- 
son Guyer  participated  in  the  exercises.  J.  E. 
Wilson,  one  of  the  most  eloquent  members  of  Rock 
River  Conference,  preached  in  the  evening. 

By  the  appointment  of  some  rather  unfitting 
men,  and  other  discouraging  circumstances,  the  Jef- 
ferson Street  Church,  previous  to  1861,  passed 
through  some  very  cloudy  days.  In  1858  the  so- 
ciety was  reduced  to  such  extremities  they  were  in- 
duced to  mortgage  the  parsonage  property  to  pay 
the  pastoFs  salary.  The  memory  of  the  preacher 
that  allowed  it  will  be  like  dark  days.  That  year 
the  elder  persisted  in  returning  this  pastor,  who  was 
a burden  to  the  Church,  against  the  urgent  wishes 
of  prominent  members.  The  result  was  the  with- 
drawal of  a few  strong  men.  In  1861  the  Church 
was  in  a spirit  that  made  them  ready  to  adopt  any 
desperate  measure  which  might  either  kill  or  cure, 
and  they  made  a bold  venture.  Up  to  this  tirne  no 
young  untried  men  had  ever  been  appointed  to 


310 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


place  in  the  West.  The  success  of  Mr.  Spurgeon 
at  twenty-two  in  London  had  wafted  the  fashion 
of  preferring  young  men  across  the  waters  to  our 
shores,  and  in  the  East  many  young  men  had  gone 
fresh  from  college  to  high  pulpit  position.  In  1861 
there  was  a young  student  at  the  institute  at  Evans- 
ton, who  was  a relative  of  Simeon  Farwell,  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  Jefferson  Street  Church. 
By  their  own  motion,  and  through  the  persuasions 
of  Dr.  Dempster,  the  Church  resolved  to  ask  the 
appointment  of  this  man,  then  twenty-four  years 
of  age.  He  had  come  up  from  a lowly  life,  and  by 
those  struggles  that  have  made  so  many  of  our  men 
out  of  barefoot  boys,  he  had  worked  his  way  through 
college.  He  had  a strong  mind,  but  rather  a daw- 
dling delivery.  To  tell  the  truth,  there  was  yet  a 
great  deal  of  the  sophomore  about  him.  By  the 
appointment  of  this  young  man  there  was  nothing 
to  lose,  and  there  might  be  gain. 

At  the  session  of  the  conference  (1861)  Chaeles 
Heney  Fowlee  was  admitted  on  trial,  and  sta- 
tioned at  Jefferson  Street.  Bishop  Fowler  was  born 
at  Burford,  in  Canada,  August  11,  1837.  In  1841 
his  father  moved  to  Newark,  Kendall  County,  111., 
and  engaged  in  farming.  Here  Charles  gained  his 
earliest  school  knowledge.  In  1854  he  attended  the 
old  Rock  River  Seminary,  and  in  the  Spring  of 
1855  entered  the  Wesleyan  Seminary  at  Lima,  New 
York.  He  remained  at  Lima  until  1859,  when  he 
graduated  valedictorian  from  Genesee  College.  The 
same  year  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  began  the  study 
of  law.  But,  being  converted  on  Christmas  eve  of 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  311 

1859,  he  changed  the  whole  purposes  of  his  life,  and 
at  once  entered  the  Garrett  Biblical  Institute.  In 
1861  he  was  stationed  at  Jefferson  Street.  This 
Church,  Wabash  Avenue,  and  Clark  Street,  were 
the  only  Churches  he  served  as  pastor.  In  1872  he 
became  president  of  the  North-western  University; 
in  1876  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  New  York 
Christian  Advocate;  in  1880  he  was  chosen  one  of 
the  missionary  secretaries ; and  in  1884  was  elected 
bishop.  He  married  as  a second  wife,  in  1868,  Mira 
Hitchcock,  daughter  of  Rev.  Luke  Hitchcock. 

It  may  seem  puerile,  but  we  can  not  forbear  a 
note  or  two  here.  The  Rock  River  Conference 
surely  has  taken  its  part  of  the  general  Church  po- 
sitions. In  1844  John  T.  Mitchell  was  elected  one 
of  the  book  agents  at  Cincinnati,  and  Luke  Hitch- 
cock to  the  same  position  in  1860.  Dr.  Fowler  was 
editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate  in  1876,  and  J.  H. 
Vincent  was  elected  editor  of  Sunday-school  publi- 
cations in  1868.  Bishop  Fowler  is  the  only  mem- 
ber of  the  Rock  River  Conference  that  has  been 
elected  bishop ; but  Evanston  has  had  at  the  head 
of  her  institutions  four  men — R.  S.  Foster,  E.  O. 
Haven,  Dr.  Ninde,  and  C.  H.  Fowler — who  after- 
wards became  bishops. 

But  we  turn  to  note  another,  the  third  Meth- 
odist Church,  organized  in  Chicago.  From  the  time 
the  old  Clark  Street  Church  was  moved  across  the 
river  from  the  North  Side,  in  1838,  there  had  been 
many  members  residing  in  North  Chicago,  and  by 
the  year  1847  a church  was  really  needed  in  that 
part  of  the  city.  There  were  still  but  two  churches 


312 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


on  the  North  Side.  These  were  the  St.  James  Epis- 
copal and  the  Sailors’  Bethel.  The  troubles  at  Clark 
Street  hastened  the  organization.  Many  who  sym- 
pathized with  James  Mitchell,  and  who  were  dis- 
pleased with  the  choir  and  other  arrangements  which 
they  esteemed  worldly,  set  about  building  a church 
on  Indiana  Street,  between  Clark  and  Dearborn,  on 
the  North  Side,  where,  with  plainness  of  dress,  free 
seats,  congregational  singing,  and  a more  spiritual 
type  of  religion,  they  could  carry  out  their  views  of 
old-fashioned  Methodism.”  The  leaders  in  this 
movement  were  George  F.  Foster  and  Charles  Ly- 
man, a man  who  came  from  New  York  in  1846,  and 
who  in  1864  had  charge  of  the  retail  department 
of  Stewart’s  great  store  in  New  York  City.  We 
may  as  well  observe  here  that  Indiana  Street  lost, 
years  ago,  all  the  peculiar  ideas  with  which  it  set 
out,  save  the  idea  of  singing.  They  have  been  rent- 
ing pews  for  several  years.  The  society  had  in  1865 
what  came  nearest  to  model  singing  of  any  Church 
in  the  West.  On  the  fifth  day  of  August,  1847,  six 
days  before  the  conference  met  at  Clark  Street  that 
year,  Sias  Bolles,  James  Mitchell,  George  F.  Foster, 
Charles  H.  P.  Lyman,  and  Andrew  J.  Brown  met 
at  the  house  of  George  F.  Foster,  standing  then  on 
the  corner  of  Clark  and  Kinzie  Streets,  where  the 
Revere  House  afterwards  stood,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a new  Church.  J.  Mitchell  was  chair- 
man ; A.  J.  Brown  was  chosen  secretary.  Within 
a few  days  about  twenty  members  joined  the  society. 
Francis  Jordan,  Charles  Sweet,  C.  H.  P.  Lyman, 
Captain  Jeremy  Hixon,  and  George  F.  Foster  were 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  313 


elected  trustees.  The  trustees  met,  August  9th,  at 
the  house  of  Charles  Sweet,  whose  wife  was  Susan 
Wentworth,  one  of  the  first  that  joined  the  Church 
in  Chicago  in  1837.  G.  F.  Foster  was  elected  pres- 
ident of  the  board,  and  A.  J.  Brown  was  requested 
to  circulate  a paper  to  obtain  subscriptions  for  build- 
ing a chapel.^^  A petition  was  sent  over  to  the 
conference,  then  in’  session,  for  a preacher  the  next 
year.  Freeborn  Haney  was  appointed.  The  first 
quarterly-meeting  was  held  October  7,  1847 — J. 
Chandler,  presiding  elder ; F.  Haney,  pastor.  Geo. 
F.  Foster,  A.  J.  Brown,  C.  H.  P.  Lyman,  Isaiah 
Shaw,  and  J.  H.  Sensor  were  elected  as  the  first 
board  of  stewards.  J.  E.  Love,  local  preacher,  was 
received  by  letter.  In  December  a Church  mis- 
sionary society  was  organized ; J.  E.  Love  and  H. 
Whitehead,  vice-presidents,  and  E.  M.  Gustine, 
treasurer.  The  ground  where,  for  seventeen  years, 
the  Indiana  Street  Church  stood  was  purchased  for 
$1,200,  and  the  church  erected  at  a cost  of  about 
$1,000.  The  house,  built  in  the  old  style,  steeple- 
less, and  a low  frame,  was  dedicated  by  James 
Mitchell.  The  text  from  which  he  preached  to  a 
crowded  house  was  Haggai  ii,  9 : The  glory 

of  this  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the 
former.^^  This  was  the  third  Chicago  church  the 
Mitchells  had  dedicated.  There  was  a good  revival 
during  the  Winter  of  1848,  and  during  the  first 
year  one  hundred  names  were  enrolled  on  the 
Church  records ; but,  by  various  leakages,  the  year 
closed  with  only  thirty-two  members.  In  1848 
John  F.  Devore  was  preacher  in  charge.  During 


314 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


this  year,  in  striving  to  reject  their  elder,  Hooper 
Crews,  there  arose  great  difficulties,  and  many  of 
the  leading  members  withdrew  from  the  Church, 
and,  with  Mr.  Lyman  as  a leader,  met  in  a class  by 
themselves  for  a time ; and  if  they  could  have  taken 
the  church,  as  they  desired  to  do,  would  have  or- 
ganized a separate  society.  They  went  so  far,  we 
believe,  as  to  write  to  James  Mitchell  to  come  up 
and  preach  for  them.  He  had  the  good  sense  to 
write  to  them,  showing  the  result  of  all  such  inde- 
pendent affairs,  and  the  lone  bark  was  abandoned, 
and  after  a few  months  nearly  all  returned  to  the 
Church.  In  1849  Zadoc  Hall,  a man  of  prudence 
and  peace,  was  appointed  to  the  charge.  He  found 
seventy  members,  and  things  in  a disturbed  state. 
The  larger  portion  of  the  best  members  were  still 
out  of  the  Church,  but,  by  persuasion,  most  of  them 
were  induced  to  return.  The  society  set  to  work 
anew,  and  built  a good  brick  parsonage  on  the 
church  lot.  It  was  a slim  year  for  a city  pastor. 
He  received,  counting  a donation,  in  all,  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-seven  dollars.  It  was  poor  pay,^’ 
says  the  preacher ; but  the  people  were  poor  and 
times  hard.’^  In  1850,  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  dollars;  1865,  two  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars.  Some  change  ! About  fifty  members  were 
reported  to  conference,  and  Boyd  Lowe,  an  unmar- 
ried man,  sent  to  the  work.  As  the  Church  went 
out  to  maintain  what  they  called  old  landmarks,^^ 
but  really  only  the  Southern  mode  of  doing  things, 
up  to  this  time,  including  Boyd  Lowe,  all  their 
preachers  were  drawn  from  the  Southern  or  Ohio 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  315 

class.  Brother  Lowe  was  a young  man  of  good 
promise,  but  hardly  the  best  man  for  a rising  city 
Church  ; and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  he  main- 
tained his  position  among  this  people,  who  were  a 
little  difficult  to  please.  But  at  the  end  of  the  year 
there  began  a new  and  prosperous  era  for  that  zeal- 
ous little  Church,  whose  doings  shall  yet  a little 
further  grace^^  our  pages.  The  boy,  A.  R.  Scran- 
ton, forward  for  prayers  at  the  quarterly-meeting, 
after  C.  B.  Tippett  preached  at  old  Clark  Street  in 
1845,  was,  in  the  midst  of  all  this  tumult,  to  come 
out  chastened  and  prepared  for  effectual  Christian 
labor.  We  could  write  no  name  on  these  pages 
with  a heartier  good-will  than  the  name  of  that 
old-time  fellow-apprentice. 

During  Sias  Bolles^s  time,  in  1853,  ninety  pro- 
bationers were  added  to  the  Church.  The  Church, 
since  1850,  has  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  its  way, 
blessed  with  general  prosperity.  Its  Sunday-school 
from  1850  has  been  one  of  the  best  in  the  city. 
The  society  paid,  from  1847  to  1852,  for  lots, 
$1,500;  for  church  building,  $1,200;  for  parsonage, 
$800 ; and  for  support  of  its  pastors,  $3,000.  The 
church  was  enlarged  in  1854.  In  1857  a subscrip- 
tion was  started  by  Thomas  Williams  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a new  church.  About  twenty 
thousand  dollars  was  secured,  and  a lot  was  bar- 
gained for;  but  the  crash  of  1857  put  an  end  to  all 
enterprises.  The  whole  of  the  old  property  went 
to  pay  debts,  and  in  1863  the  society  was  without  a 
home.  A new  site  was  selected  at  the  corner  of 
LaSalle  Street  and  Chicago  Avenue,  and  the  vestry 


316 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


of  a new  church  was  completed  and  dedicated  in 
1864.  One  of  the  members  says  the  property  is 
worth  forty  thousand,  and  we  are  all  happy,  feeling 
that  the  Lord  is  with  us.’’ 

The  new  and  elegant  Grace  Church  was  erected 
mainly  under  the  direction  of  Abner  R.  Scranton. 
The  Sunday-school  paid  for  the  twelve-hundred- 
dollar  church-organ,  and  the  ladies  paid  for  the  lot. 
One  young  lady  collected  ninety-five  dollars  to 
apply  on  this.  The  society  entered  the  church  in 
the  Summer  of  1865,  and  when  they  were  well  at 
work  they  had  adopted  every  scheme  which  was 
renounced  in  1847.  It  is  probable,  however,  only 
A.  J.  Brown  and  A.  R.  Scranton,  of  the  members 
of  Indiana  Street  in  1847,  entered  as  members  into 
the  new  Grace  Church.  Some  years  before  leaving 
the  old  chapel  they  had  adopted  seat-renting,  and 
now  they  had  a fine  organ  and  the  best  of  singing. 
According  to  the  laws  of  philosophy,  they  should 
have  the  most  dilletante  singing  in  he  city ; for,  as 
a rule,  there  is  reaction  from  one  extreme  to  an- 
other. Mankind  are  ever  swinging  on  a pendulum. 
In  politics,  manners,  fashion,  religion,  men  are 
ever  swinging  from  one  extreme  to  another.  Fixed 
bodies,  if  they  move,  go  in  circles,  or  swing.  The 
Church  barely  escapes  such  a fate.  In  1857  the 
singing  of  Indiana  Street  was  congregational  of  the 
poorest  kind,  in  which  five  or  six  discordant  voices 
joined.  Those  who  have  pleaded  for  old-fash- 
ioned ” singing  have  received  their  views  by  wor- 
shiping in  gmall  houses ; and  because  a company  in 
a small  house  have  sung  together,  they  think  it  can 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES.  317 


as  easily  be  done  in  a large  church.  But  there  are 
few  singers  with  sufficient  compass  of  voice  to  lead 
in  accord  a large  Church  congregation.  Hence 
discords  arise,  and  congregational  singing  becomes 
a hard  thing  to  keep  up.  A good  instrument  will 
alone  remedy  this.  Indiana  Street  society  was 
ready  to  adopt  choir-singing  or  any  thing  that 
would  deliver  them  from  harping  on  Hebron  and 
^^Balerma’’  year  after  year.  A fortunate  circum- 
stance saved  them.  The  new  tune  and  hymn  book 
was  issued  in  1857.  In  1858  Mr.  Billings  taught 
a singing-school  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church.  He 
found  there  a modest  young  man,  Geo.  H.  Dunham 
by  name,  who  would  make  a leader.  Billings  per- 
suaded him  to  stand  in  front  of  the  congregation, 
and,  with  an  instrument  to  assist,  to  lead  the  sing- 
ing. This  proved  a perfect  success.  But  by  the 
time  they  had  entered  Grace  Church  they  had  used 
the  tune  and  hymn  book  until  the  tunes  had  be- 
come commonplace.  In  its  stead  they  adopted  a 
new  tune-book,  and  since  then  they  keep  up  the 
same  (only  improved)  style  of  singing.  A select 
company  sit  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  near  the  organ 
key-board,  and  lead  the  singing,  which  is  joined  in 
by  the  whole  congregation ; and  in  1864  they  had 
there  what  came  nearest  to  being  model  singing 
ever  witnessed  by  the  writer.  In  1864  the  pastor, 
J.  C.  Stoughton,  reported  two  hundred  members,  a 
church  worth  thirty  thousand  dollars,  four  hundred 
and  fifty-two  dollars  missionary  money,  and  a Sun- 
day-school with  one  hundred  and  eighty  scholars. 
The  building  used  in  1864  was  only  a vestry  in  the 


318 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


rear  of  the  large  and  superb  edifice  dedicated  in 
1867,  but  was  one  of  the  neatest  and  ^mc^fullest 
churches  in  the  city.  The  significant  emblems  on 
the  trefoil  windows — the  one  over  the  pulpit  having 
an  anchor  and  a cross  circled  by  a crown,  with  the 
words,  ^^The  glory  of  this  latter  house  is  greater 
than  the  former  — are  in  taste  and  beauty. 

The  great  Chicago  fire  of  October  9,  1871,  will 
pass  down  into  history  as  one  of  the  events  of  the 
last  fifty  years  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The 
sufferings  of  Chicago  Methodists  and  of  Chicago 
Methodism  are  too  stupendous  to  be  narrated  here. 
Churches  in  ruins,  and  the  property  of  those  who 
had  built  and  sustained  them  obliterated,  was  a 
condition  of  things  to  appall  the  stoutest  hearts  and 
the  most  ardent  faith.  The  fire  entered  the  south 
division  from  the  AVest  Side,  crossing  the  river 
about  at  Van  Buren  Street.  The  wind  that  was 
sweeping  wildly  toward  the  north  drove  the  fire 
before  it.  Chicago  became  a seething  ocean  of  smoke 
and  flame.  Height  and  depth  were  flashing  with 
furious  fires.  A whole  nation  stood  appalled  before 
the  mightiest  conflagration  of  the  continent.  The 
monuments  of  forty  years  melted  away  in  that  fur- 
nace that  gleamed  with  the  flames  of  burning  hopes. 
The  fires  swept  on  to  the  north  to*  the  limits  of  the 
city,  and  stopped  because  there  was  no  farther  food 
for  flames.  In  this  dire  calamity  the  Clark  Street 
block  and  Grace  Church  were  laid  in  ashes.  The 
fire  beat  slowly  to  the  southward  against  the  wind, 
and  was  finally  checked  about  at  Harrison  Street. 
The  buildings  immediately  north  of  the  elegant 


CANAL  AND  INDIANA  STREET  CHURCHES,  319 


Wabash  Avenue  Church  were  destroyed,  and  the 
stone  walls  of  the  church  became  the  barrier  to 
stay  the  fire  at  that  point.  The  building  was  at 
once  appropriated  by  the  government  as  a post- 
office. 

The  Clark  Street  block  was  the  third  church- 
building the  Methodist  society  had  erected  on  that 
corner.  Ten  days  after  the  fire  the  trustees  met  on 
the  ruins.  A committee  was  chosen  to  secure  plans 
for  a new  building.  They  had  been  so  fortunate  as 
to  have  the  old  block  insured  in  a company  that 
was  not  ruined  by  the  fire,  and  the  insurance  funds 
went  far  toward  erecting  a new  block.  December 
8,  1872,  the  new  lecture-room  was  dedicated,  and 
in  a few  months  the  main  audience-room  was  ready 
for  use.  The  whole  structure  cost  one  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  dollars. 

For  years  previous  to  the  fire  Abner  Reeve 
Scranton  had  been  the  moneyed  pillar  of  Grace 
Church.  He  had  been  one  of  the  first  members  of 
the  old  Indiana  Street  Church  in  1847.  Mr.  Scran- 
ton came  to  Chicago  with  his  father^s  family  in 
1839.  In  1845,  when  sevnteen,  he  entereed  the 
ship-furnishing  establishment  of  George  F.  Foster 
as  an  apprentice,  in  company  with  the  present 
writer.  In  a few  years  he  secured  an  interest  in 
the  business,  and  finally,  with  another  young  man, 
succeeded  to  the  old  George  F.  Foster  firm.  In 
1871  Mr.  Scranton  had  a large  amount  of  property, 
mainly  lots  and  buildings.  Concerning  his  fire  ex- 
^perience  Grant  Goodrich,  in  an  address,  said : He 

commenced  business  for  himself.  God  prospered 


320 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


him,  and  he  had  set  his  heart  on  seeing  Grace 
Church  completed.  He  had  given  and  worked,  and 
worked  and  given,  until  it  Avas  completed.  He  saw 
his  houses,  his  store  and  all  its  contents  swallowed 
up  by  the  flame,  with  no  word  of  anguish  from  his 
lips.  But  on  hearing  some  one  report  the  burning 
of  Grace  Church,  he  exclaimed,  ^O,  that  is  the 
hardest  of  all 

A.  R.  Scranton  died  in  August,  1885. 

The  first  Sunday  after  the  fire  the  pastor.  Rev. 
M.  M.  Parkhurst,  held  service  on  the  ruins  of 
Grace  Church,  By  December  3d  the  society  en- 
tered a rough,  temporary  tabernacle,  built  within 
the  old  walls.  Since  then,  in  another  location,  a 
new  church  has  been  built,  and  Grace  Church 
lives  on. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


321 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

NEW  CIRCUITS  BETWEEN  1845  AND  1850. 

CRYSTAL  LAKE  received  Henry  Minard  as 
preacher  in  1845.  The  appointments  were  at 
Sanborn^s,  Deats’s,  Pleasant  Grove,  Anderson^s, 
Morrises  (Harmony),  Pigeon  Woods  (Hampshire), 
Crystal  Lake,  Virginia  Settlement,  and  Jackson^s. 
During  the  Summer  of  1846  James  Mitchell,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  (Chicago)  district  appointed  a 
Sunday-school  convention  at  St.  Charles.  C.  H. 
Shapley,  L.  H.  Bishop,  E.  G.  Wood,  I.  H.  Fair- 
child,  J.  T.  Sanborn,  Stephen  Albro,  and  Uriah 
Cottle  were  chosen  delegates  from  Crystal  Lake 
Circuit.  This  was  probably  the  first  move  of  the 
kind  in  the  Sunday-school  line  in  the  country. 
Soon  after,  the  elder  called  a meeting  at  Clark 
Street  Church  to  discuss  Sunday-school  matters,  and 
he  may  be  considered  the  first  who  introduced  any 
special  efforts  in  the  Sunday-school  cause  in  the 
conference.  I.  H.  Fairchild,  who  afterwards  went 
to  the  Nazarites,  was  twice  recommended  to  the 
conference  for  admission  from  the  circuit,  but  was 
not  admitted.  At  a quarterly-meeting  held  at 
Pleasant  Grove  in  October,  1846,  a complaint  was 
made  against  Robert  Williams,  a local  preacher,  for 
making  personal  attacks  in  the  pulpit,  and  a reso- 


322 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


liition  was  passed  to  the  effect  that,  ^^it  is  improper 
and  unfair  to  take  advantage  of  the  position  to  be 
personal — a decision  in  which  all  right-minded  men 
must  coincide.  The  Sunday-school  report  for  1847 
was  as  follows:  Franklin ville,  seventy  scholars; 
Sanford’s,  thirty-two ; Pleasant  Grove,  thirty ; Mor- 
ris class,  forty;  Murphy’s,  thirty-seven;  Andrus, 
ten ; Dow’s,  fifty. 

In  1849  H.  Morehouse  and  George  W.  Murphy, 
both  supplies,  were  on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit.  G. 
W.  Murphy  was  recommended  to  conference  and 
received  that  year,  making  the  fifth  person  that 
came  up  to  the  conference  from  Crystal  Lake  Cir- 
cuit. The  work  remained  about  the  same  size  until 
1852,  when  Marengo  Circuit  was  organized.  The 
little  village  near  the  beautiful  lake  has  continued 
to  give  name  to  a circuit  from  the  beginning  in 
1839  until  now.  There  are  eleven  circuits  at  this 
time  on  the  ground  covered  by  Crystal  Lake  Cir- 
cuit in  1839,  and  on  each  of  these  circuits  there 
were  appointments  and  classes  in  that  year.  They 
are  Crystal  Lake,  McHenry,  Richmond,  Woodstock, 
Belden,  Marengo,  Harvard,  Big  Foot,  Chemung, 
Round  Prairie,  and  Harmony.  Crystal  Lake  in 
1865  embraced  Crystal  Lake,  Queen  Ann,  and 
Ridgefield  Station. 

Several  new  charges  appeared  in  1845.  There 
was  a four  week’s  circuit,  called  without  any  good 
reason  City  Mission,  to  which  S.  F.  Denning  was 
appointed.  It  joined  the  old  Wheeling  work.  A 
Brother  Whedon  was  on  the  circuit  as  a supply. 
The  preachers  held  meetings  at  Union  Ridge  in  a 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


323 


small  log  school-house  until  the  parsonage  was  built 
in  1845,  after  which,  during  the  first  year,  the 
preaching  was  in  that.  The  second  year  a frame 
school-house  was  built  half  a mile  from  the  par- 
sonage, which  was  twelve  miles  north-west  of  Chi- 
cago. The  second  appointment  was  at  Cazenovia, 
a place  on  the  Des  Plaines,  fourteen  miles  north- 
west of  Chicago.  Another  was  at  MerrilPs  Point 
(sometimes  called  Whisky  Point),  seven  miles  from 
the  city.  There  were  other  appointments  at  Alli- 
son^s  school-house  on  the  Des  Plaines,  seven  miles 
north-west  of  the  parsonage ; at  the  Windmill,  or 
Wren^s  school-house,  not  far  from  where  the  Chi- 
cago camp-meetings  were  held  previous  to  1864;  at 
Burlingame^s,  four  miles  east  of  the  Windmill;  in 
a log  school-house,  eighteen  miles  up  the  North 
Branch;  at  Wilson^s  Bridge,  on  the  North  Branch, 
fourteen  miles  from  Chicago ; at  Dutchman’s  Point, 
ten  miles  from  Chicago,  on  the  Milwaukee  Road; 
at  Grosse  Point  (now  Evanston),  in  a log  school- 
house  on  the  ridge;  and  three  miles  north  of  the 
present  site  of  Evanston.  They  also  preached  at 
Lytle’s,  three  miles  north-west  of  the  city,  but  had 
no  class  there.  The  Dutchman’s  Point,  named 
above,  was  so  called  because  a clever  Dutchman  for 
many  years  in  the  early  day  kept  a tavern  on  the 
Milwaukee  Road.  That  Dutchman  was  John  Plank, 
who  was  afterwards  for  several  years  a member  of 
the  Rock  River  Conference  as  presiding  elder  on 
German  districts.  This  circuit  changed  names 
several  times.  It  was  Union  Ridge  for  several 
years,  but  after  a time  was  cut  up  into  the  petty 


324 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


stations  that  abounded  in  that  portion  of  the  country, 
as  Brickton,  Niles,  and  Northfield. 

Many  an  Indian  chief  has  given  name  to  locali- 
ties in  our  country.  Is  not  here  poetic  iustice? 
Scathed  and  peeled,  driven  to  bay,  and  his  wild 
nature  aroused  to  madness,  he  has  committed  deeds 
of  blood  for  which  his  white  brethren  have  paid 
him  in  extinction.  His  name  is  left  upon  lands, 
rivers,  and  cities  as  lasting  memorials  of  his  exist- 
ence. Mississippi,  Chicago,  Illinois,  Big  Foot,  Iro- 
quois, Kankakee, — are  not  all  these  Indian  names? 
From  Channahon  to  the  Indiana  line  flows  a stream 
over  a rocky  bed,  Kankakee,  by  name,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  streams  in  the  State. 
Bordered  with  rocks  and  gushing  springs  and  forests, 
the  country  is  the  pleasantest  portion  of  Illinois. 
And  here  have  been  established  many  of  our  pleas- 
antest flelds  of  labor.  In  1845  Yellowhead 
Mission  appeared  on  the  lists.  It  took  its  name 
from  a grove  five  miles  north-east  of  Momence,  a 
mile  east  of  Grant  Park,  bordering  on  the  Indiana 
line.  The  grove  was  named  after  an  old  Indian 
chief,  who  formerly  resided  there.  Archibald  Mor- 
rison, an  eccentric  but  devoted  local  preacher,  in 
whose  family  was  young  Russel  Seager,  William 
Hath  way,  and  families,  who  were  nearly  all  Meth- 
odists, arrived  at  Yellowhead  Grove  June  7,  1838. 
The  same  Fall  Mr.  Morrison  attended  a quarterly- 
meeting, either  at  Joliet  or  Chicago,  to  ask  for  a 
preacher.  In  January,  1839,  John  Clark,  presiding 
elder  of  the  Chicago  District,  and  Jesse  Halsted, 
preacher-in-charge  at  Crete,  held  a quarterly-meet- 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


325 


ing  about  two  miles  north-east  of  Momence  in  the 
log  house  of  William  Nichols.  A class  was  then 
formed,  consisting  of  A.  Morrison,  leader,  his  wife 
Elizabeth,  Bluford  and  Hannah  Dulin,  Mrs.  John- 
ston and  daughter,  and  William  and  Marilla  Hath- 
way.  There  was  an  appointment  at  Mr.  Morrison’s, 
where  the  preachers  on  the  Joliet  Circuit  preached 
in  1843.  In  1844  the  eastern  portion  of  Joliet 
Circuit  was  set  of,  and  called  Beebe’s  Grove;  the 
same  was  changed  to  Yellowhead  in  1845.  The 
work  included  all  the  country  from  Bourbonais 
Grove  (Kankakee)  on  both  sides  of  the  Kankakee 
Eiver  to  the  Indiana  line.  The  name  of  the  charge 
was  changed  from  time  to  time.  In  1847  it  became 
Kankakee  Mission,  and  in  1851  Momence  Circuit. 
In  1853  the  country  around  Kankakee  City  was 
set  off  into  a separate  circuit,  leaving  the  Momence 
work  about  what  it  has  been  ever  since.  In  1853 
the  appointments  were  at  Momence  in  a brick 
school-house,  at  Yellowhead,  at  Legg’s  and  West’s 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  A neat  church  was 
built  at  Momence  in  1863. 

. The  first  Protestant  church  in  the  county  was 
built  at  Yellowhead  in  1845,  mostly  through  the 
efforts  of  Mr.  A.  Morrison.  This  was  situated 
about  a mile  south-east  from  Grant  Park.  When 
the  railroad  went  through,  and  a station  was  es- 
tablished called  Grant  Park,  the  old  Yellowhead 
Church  was  moved  over  there,  and  was  used  as  a 
place  of  worship  for  many  years.  In  1882  Grant 
Park  became  a separate  charge,  with  G.  K.  Hoover 
as  pastor.  About  the  year  1876,  under  the  special 


326 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


care  of  the  pastor,  William  Clark,  and  Russel  Sea- 
ger,  a new  five  thousand  dollar  church  was  built, 
and  dedicated  September  6th.  The  church,  the 
yard,  even  to  the  fence  and  sodding,  and  the  plant- 
ing of  flowers  and  trees,  was  finished  by  the  time 
of  dedication  day,  and  the  whole  paid  for.  Revi- 
val services,  resulting  in  the  conversion  of  many 
souls,  conducted  by  W.  C.  Willing  and  his  efficient 
wife,  Jennie  F.  Willing,  were  held  in  connection 
with  the  dedication  services.  Three  of  the  first 
eight  members  in  1838  were  present  at  the  dedica- 
tion. This  church  was  built  largely  by  the  energy 
of  a prominent  layman,  who  came  out  as  a boy  in 
the  family  of  Mr.  Morrison  in  1838.  Russel  Seager, 
who  deserves  more  than  a passing  note,  was  born  in 
Ulster  County,  New  York,  April  19,  1821.  At  fif- 
teen he  was  left  fatherless,  the  oldest  of  seven  child- 
ren. Coming  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  he 
set  to  work  with  the  energy  of  a man,  and  in  four 
years  welcomed  his  widowed  mother  and  her  family 
to  a new  home  in  the  West.  He  became  a Christian, 
and  joined  the  Church  under  the  labors  of  S.  R. 
Beggs  in  1843.  He  became  a steward  in  1844  and 
a trustee  in  1846,  and  never  failed  to  fill  those  offi- 
ces in  the  Church  until  his  death  in  1881.  For 
much  of  the  time  he  was  also  a class-leader  and 
Bible-class  teacher.  His  spiritual  life,  his  intellect- 
ual ability,  his  temperance  principles,  and  his  pa- 
triotism, were  so  conspicuous  he  was  often  called 
upon  for  addresses  upon  these  subjects.  He  died 
in  1881,  and  was  mourned  at  his  funeral  by  so 
many  the  crowd  could  not  enter  the  beautiful  church 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


327 


where  the  services  were  held.  At  a memorial  ser- 
vice one  who  knew  him  best,  remarked : Metho- 

dism in  Kankakee  County  has  lost  its  strongest 
man.^^  His  life  and  death  were  such  that  his  wife 
observed:  We  will  all  feel  so  lonely  without  him, 

but  there  is  nothing  dark  as  we  think  of  his  going.^^ 

He  was  one  of  those  laymen  who  carry  the  in- 
terests of  the  Church  of  their  choice  near  their 
hearts.  Joel  Manning,  of  Lockport;  Otis  Hardy,  of 
Joliet;  Nathan  E.  Lyman  and  William  Brown,  of 
Kockford;  T.  F.  Hastie,  of  Apple  River;  Grant 
Goodrich,  Orrington  Lunt,  G.  C.  Cook,  and  A.  R. 
Scranton,  of  Chicago,  are  of  the  same  list.  May 
their  numbers  increase  everywhere. 

Little  Rock  is  another  charge  that  appeared 
in  1845.  William  Royal,  when  on  his  Fox  River 
Mission  in  1835,  explored  the  country  from  Ottawa 
to  Rockford,  establishing  appointments  and  organ- 
izing classes.  Sonionoc,  or  the  Hough  neighbor- 
hood on  Somonoc  Creek,  near  Sandwich,  became  an 
appointment  in  1836.  In  1837  the  Somonoc  Cir- 
cuit was  formed,  and  Dr.  Stephen  Arnold  came  on 
as  the  preacher.  The  circuit  embraced  the  settle- 
ments around  the  groves  skirting  Little  Rock  and 
Sycamore  Creeks.  In  1839  the  name  was  changed 
to  Bristol,  with  Austin  F.  Rogers,  who  was  a super- 
annuated member  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Confer- 
ence in  1864,  as  preacher.  Bristol  at  that  time 
was  quite  a village  on  Fox  River,  and  as  a class 
had  been  organized  a year  before,  a parsonage  was 
bought  in  the  village  in  which  for  a year  or  two  the 
preachers  resided.  The  circuit  continued  until  1842. 


328 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


In  1841  William  Kimball  was  the  preacher.  During 
the  year  Mr.  Kimball  became  disaffected  by  the  Wes- 
leyan movement,  and  located  in  1842.  What  was 
left  of  the  circuit  went  on  to  Indian  Creek  the 
next  year,  which  had  Rufus  Lummery  as  preacher. 

During  the  year  Mr.  Lummery  led  nearly  all 
the  members  after  him  out  of  the  Church  into  the 
Wesleyan  tide,  and  the  classes  became  broken  up. 
But  in  1845  the  old  circuit  was  revived,  bearing 
the  name  of  Little  Rock.  Its  center  was  about 
Plano,  then  unbuilt,  and  there  were  appointments 
at  Little  Rock,  Bristol,  Sugar  Grove,  and  the  regions 
around.  O.  W.  Munger,  the  preacher,  revived  the 
appointment  at  Bristol  and  other  places.  The  cir- 
cuit continued  in  about  the  same  form  until  1855, 
when  the  Burlington  Railway  began  to  change  the 
face  of  the  country,  and  as  the  stations  grew  into 
importance  they  became  centers,  and  the  old  Little 
Rock  Circuit,  like  many  others,  was  dissolved. 

Mt.  Carroll  is  another  of  the  new  works  of 
1845.  Mt.  Carroll  had  been  a preaching-place  on  the 
Savannah  and  other  circuits  from  an  early  day,  and 
now  gave  name  to  a work  which  embraced  most  of 
what  had  been  the  Savannah  Circuit  in  1840.  The 
appointments  in  1851  were  at  Mt.  Carroll,  Savan- 
nah, Red  School-house  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bliss 
Tavern,  Ashley’s  School-house,  and  Bailey’s  Settle- 
ment. The  preacher  in  1851  was  the  fiery  Miles 
L.  Reed,  whose  soul  was  aglow,  and  who  labored 
after  the  manner  of  the  itinerants  of  1784.  When 
he  went  on  the  work  every  thing  was  down.  He 
commenced  preaching  in  the  court-house  at  Mt. 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


329 


Carroll  the  most  plain  and  pointed  sermons  the 
people  had  ever  listened  to.  He  also  began  a sys- 
tematic course  of  pastoral  visiting^  which  was  kept 
up  until  the  first  of  January,  when  he  began  a pro- 
tracted meeting  in  Carroll,  which  was  kept  up  until 
the  middle  of  March.  During  the  time  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  souls  were  converted.  Mr.  Reed 
was  called  there  the  Hell-Fire  Preacher.  Among 
his  most  appreciating  hearers  was  a son  of  the  tav- 
ern-keeper, two  miles  from  town.  This  young  man, 
though  married  and  old  enough  to  be  steady,  was 
wild  as  a colt.  He  fiddled  at  dances,  and  mingled 
with  profane  young  men,  who  vied  with  each  other 
in  uttering  the  most  original  oaths.  His  whole 
nature  was  made  of  sport  and  mischief.  Such  a 
man  as  Reed  would  be  sure  to  be  fancied  by  such 
a piece  of  human  nature  as  the  tavern-keeper’s  son 
more  than  your  staid  and  dignified  minister,  and  he 
became  powerfully  converted,  and  afterwards  be- 
came one  of  the  most  efficient  ministers  of  the 
Rock  River  Conference.  George  J.  Bliss,  for 
this  is  the  man,  was  sent  to  Sterling  as  a supply  in 
1854,  and  in  1855  was  admitted  to  conference.  He 
since  traveled  Crane  Grove,  Cedarville,  Picatonica, 
Big  Foot  Circuits,  and  Belvidere  charge.  He  was 
nearly  a copy  of  M.  L.  Reed.  Lively,  apt,  talented, 
quick  in  reply,  fearless,  small  in  stature,  with  keen 
black  eyes,  he  was  a man  that  could  win  his  way 
anywhere.  Cheerful  amid  the  whirling  tempests, 
he  aided  in  planting  live  Methodism  on  our  ground. 

Mt.  Carroll  has  been  distinguished  for  revivals. 
In  the  Winter  of  1857  there  was  one  promoted  by 

28 


330 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  labors  of  D.  H.  Wheeler,  appointed  by  Abraham 
Lincoln  consul  to  Genoa,  in  1860,  and  the  pastor, 
Robert  Beatty.  Mr.  Wheeler  was  at  the  time  a local 
preacher  and  editor  of  the  county  paper.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  sweeping  revivals  ever  witnessed 
in  the  conference.  Over  two  hundred  were  con- 
verted. There  was  another  nearly  like  it  in  the 
Winter  of  1860,  under  the  labors  of  R.  A.  Blanch- 
ard. The  year  1857  closed  with  two  hundred  and 
forty-nine  members,  and  consequently  Mt.  Carroll 
was  made  a station,  the  other  appointments  going 
into  Savannah  Circuit.  It  has  remained  in  this 
form  ever  since,  being  one  of  the  pleasantest  charges 
in  the  western  part  of  the  work.  A church  was 
built  in  1854. 

In  1846  but  two  new  charges  appeared.  These 
were  Old  Town  (Galena),  and  Oregon.  Up  to  1865 
but  two  places  in  the  conference  had  succeeded  in 
maintaining  more  than  one  church.  These  were 
Chicago,  Rockford,  Galena,  Freeport;  and  Aurora 
had  made  attempts,  but  had  failed.  The  first  time 
there  was  a second  preacher  in  Galena  was  in  1846, 
when  Abraham  Hanson  was  appointed  to  Old  Town. 
The  next  year  the  preacher  was  B.  L.  Thomas,  and 
during  the  year  the  society  was  disbanded  and  re- 
turned to  Bench  Street.  The  attempt  to  sustain  a 
second  charge  was  renewed  again  in  1851  on  the 
east  side  of  Fever  River.  John  P.  Brooks,  a good 
brother,  afterwards  (1862  to  1864)  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  for  the  State,  was  appointed  to 
the  work.  He  was  followed  by  John  L.  Jenkins, 
who  remained  but  a portion  of  the  year.  The  mis- 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


331 


sion  was  then  abandoned^  and  to  this  day  Galena 
supports  but  one  charge.  During  Brother  Brooks 
year  there  were  three  small  classes^  a Sabbath- 
school,  and  an  appointment  three  miles  in  the 
country  called  Mt.  Hope.  The  old  Church,  it 
seems,  did  not  approve  of  the  movement,  and  this 
is,  perhaps,  one  cause  of  the  failure.  But  the 
preacher  and  the  little  band  labored  faithfully,  with 
prospects  of  success,  and,  perhaps,  had  the  right 
kind  of  men  succeeded  to  the  work  there  might 
have  been  a prosperous  Church  there  by  this  time. 
About  thirty  members  were  reported  in  1852. 

We  have  not  been  able  to  learn  when  the  first 
class  was  organized  at  Oregon.  There  was  an  ap- 
pointment there  in  1841,  and  in  1846,  in  connec- 
tion with  Grand  de  Tour,  it  formed  a circuit  to 
which  J.  C.  Finley,  an  old  professor  at  McKendree 
College,  was  appointed.  Methodism,  for  some  rea- 
son, perhaps  from  the  shifting  nature  of  its  inhabi- 
tants, had  for  many  years  to  struggle  for  an  exist- 
ence in  Oregon.  Being  the  county  seat  there  have 
been  often  Methodist  county  officers  that  helped 
while  there,  but  who  on  departing  left  things  feeble. 
The  name  at  times  disappeared  from  the  minutes 
in  Mt.  Morris  Circuit,  and  the  place  at  other  times 
has  been  the  head -quarters  of  an  important  charge. 
In  1858  a neat  brick  church,  under  the  arduous 
labors  of  H.  L.  Martin,  was  finished  and  dedicated 
by  Dr.  R.  S.  Foster,  then  president  of  the  North- 
western University.  The  text  was,  Great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness,^^  the  preacher  dwelling  more 
particularly  on  Justified  by  the  Spirit.^^ 


332 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Oregon,  though  the  county  seat,  was  until  1871 
twelve  miles  from  a railway,  and  was  one  of  what 
we  have  been  wont  to  call  a “ dead  town  ” — one  of 
the  hardest  fields  for  Methodist  labor  that  can  be 
found.  There  have  been  many  good  revivals  there, 
and  many  faithful  workers.  Since  the  railroad 
came  things  have  been  prospering. 

The  new  appointments  appearing  in  1847  were 
Indiana  Street,  heretofore  noticed,  Waukegan,  Lee 
Center,  and  Millville.  The  old  Lake  Circuit  in 
1847  was  changed  to  Little  Fort — the  name  Wau- 
kegan bore  from  the  early  day  until  1848.  The 
appointments  were  in  all  portions  of  Lake  County, 
and  it  was  nearly  the  largest  circuit  in  our  bounds 
in  that  day.  Little  Fort  had  been  a village  from 
1835,  but  Methodism  had  not  much  of  a hold  there 
until  after  1840.  The  place  continued  to  be  the 
head-quarters  of  Lake  Circuit  until  1849,  when  it 
became  a station,  receiving  John  F.  Devore  as 
preacher.  S.  F.  Denning  and  James  Selkrig,  who 
at  the  close  of  the  year  joined  the  Wesleyans,  were 
the  preachers  in  1847,  and  Mr.  Denning  and  John 
Hodges  in  1848.  This  second  year  there  was  preach- 
ing every  Sabbath  morning  and  evening  in  Wau- 
kegan in  a room  about  twenty  by  thirty-two  feet, 
over  M.  J.  Browji’s  shop  and  lumber  yard  office. 
In  1848  the  membership  in  town  was  about  seventy. 
The  church  was  built  in  the  Summer  of  1849,  but 
they  were  not  able  to  finish  it  before  conference. 
The  pews  were  being  put  in  at  conference  time,  so 
that  it  was  dedicated  by  Hooper  Crews  soon  after 
the  new  preacher  arrived.  At  the  time  this  church 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


333 


was  finished^  though  humble  in  appearance,  it  was 
altogether  the  best  in  town — a position  which  it 
maintained  until  1858,  when  the  Presbyterians  built 
one  which  excelled  it. 

Since  entering  their  church  Waukegan  Method- 
ism has  ever  maintained  a firm  foothold.  But 
between  the  days  of  1853  and  1858  it  was  as 
much  as  any  religious  society  could  do  to  maintain 
any  sort  of  life  in  the  place ; for  there  the  wild 
spirit-rapping  delusion  won  greater  victories — vic- 
tories of  ill  and  darkness — than  anywhere  else  in 
the  West.  The  leading  citizens  adopted  the  most 
extravagant  ideas  of  any  infected  by  the  mania,  and, 
organizing  a society,  they  kept  up  regular  Sunday 
meetings,  with  addresses,  for  years.  Two  spiritual 
publications  arose  and  died  there.  In  one  of  these. 
The  Orient,  there  are  narratives  of  transactions  that 
would  do  honor  to  a Hindu  fable  or  a Mohammedan 
vision.  Years  hence  it  will  hardly  be  believed  that 
such  things  occurred  or  that  such  narratives  could 
find  believers.  How  weak,  after  all,  is  our  boasted 
human  nature  when  left  to  its  own  fancies ! It  may 
as  well  be  remarked  here  that  in  1851  the  mania 
first  reached  the  State,  and  that  until  1860  it  wrought 
its  ill  of  every  kind.  Broken  families,  insane  minds, 
wild  schemes,  shipwreck  of  Christian  souls,  — all 
these  were  the  sad  results  of  its  sway.  In  nearly 
every  society  in  the  conference  there  were  more  or 
less  people  effected  by  the  delusion.  In  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Waukegan  spiritualist  speakers  attended 
most  of  the  funerals,  and  the  dead  in  rap-taps  came 
up,  visiting  nearly  every  house.  Almost  every  large 


334 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


family  could  boast  its  medium/^  and  chaos  seemed 
to  reign. 

During  these  years  there  were  no  revivals  at 
Waukegan.  The  Church  only  held  its  own,  hardly 
daring  to  assert  its  rights.  The  first  victory  was 
won  under  the  leadings  of  the  somewhat  erratic 
Wilbur  McKaig,  in  1858.  He  was  popular  with 
outsiders,  and  drew  the  crowd,  giving  the  Church 
a prestige,  if  nothing  more — and  this  is  often  a very 
needful  thing ; and  as  the  great  revival  spirit  of 
1858  reached  every  corner,  it  passed  not  by  Wau- 
kegan, and  without  effort  a revival  went  on.  The 
people  had  had  spiritualism  until  a nausea  of  the 
murky  faith  had  been  induced,  and  a longing  for 
light  drove  them  to  the  cross.  Since  then  Meth- 
odism has  prospered  in  Waukegan.  There  was  a 
great  revival  in  1850,  and  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  members  were  reported.  In  1855  there  were 
one  hundred  and  sixty  members;  in  1857,  but  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  ; in  1858,  two  hundred  and 
five.  So  it  is  ever ; error  will  triumph  for  awhile. 
It  will  put  on  taking  forms,  and  win  persons  from 
the  true  way ; but  the  people  shortly  grow  sick  of 
the  new  isms,  and  long  for  the  old  way.  The  Gos- 
pel shows  its  divinity  in  that  it  is  ever  the  refuge 
to  which  erring  ones  will  flee  for  help  when  tired 
of  shams  and  wanderings. 

When  the  three-year  Tule  was  adopted  by  the 
General  Conference  in  1864,  Waukegan  was  the 
first  in  the  conference  to  avail  itself  of  its  benefits. 
F.  P.  Cleveland,  a worthy  brother  and  fine  preacher, 
was  gladly  claimed  for  the  third  year.  He  reported 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


335 


from  the  charge  in  1864  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  members,  a church  worth  three  thousand  dollars, 
a parsonage  worth  one  thousand  dollars,  three  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  dollars  paid  to  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  one  Sunday-school  with  three  hundred 
scholars,  and  they  had  paid  their  pastor,  besides  a 
good  parsonage,  a salary  of  eleven  hundred  dollars. 
The  church  was  refitted  in  1866,  and  reopened  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1867,  by  Dr.  T.  M.  Eddy. 

We  have  new  charges  in  1848  under  the  names 
of  Plainfield,  Chemung,  and  Wappello.  Plain- 
field  is  one  of  the  oldest  settled  points  in  the  con- 
ference— perhaps  the  oldest  place  where  there  were 
real  settlers  besides  Galena  and  Chicago.  When 
Jesse  Walker  went  up  Fox  River  in  1825  to  estab- 
lish his  Indian  mission,  he  took  with  him  a few  rel- 
atives and  other  whites,  who,  on  the  abandonment 
of  the  mission  in  1829,  went  over  on  the  Dupage, 
and  settled  at  what  from  thence  was  called  WalkePs 
Grove.  A small  saw-mill  was  soon  erected ; for  a 
frame  house  was  built  in  Chicago  in  the  Winter  of 
1833,  of  oak  and  walnut  lumber,  hauled  from  Walk- 
ePs  Mill,  at  Walker’s  Grove.  Here  S.  R.  Beggs 
settled  in  the  Winter  of  1832.  There  was  preach- 
ing as  early  as  1831,  and  probably  from  that  time 
till  now  there  has  never  been  a time  but  what  there 
has  been  a class  and  Methodist  preaching  there.  It 
is  the  oldest  society,  except  Galena,  in  the  bounds 
of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  The  class  was 
formed  some  time  in  the  Summer  of  1829.  John 
Dew  reached  Galena  in  April,  1829,  where  he  found 
a local  preacher  and  a member  or  two  besides,  and 


336 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


some  time  during  the  Summer  organized  the  class, 
and  reported  six  members  to  the  conference  in  Sep- 
tember. The  class  in  Chicago  was  organized  in  the 
Summer  of  1831,  so  that  Galena  and  Plainfield  so- 
cieties are  two  years  older ; but  which  is  older  of 
these  two  would  be  a question  of  interest.  The 
Walker  Grove  Class  consisted  of  nine  members. 
These  were  Susannah,  the  wife  of  Jesse  Walker;  Jas. 
Walker  and  wife;  Timothy  B.  Clark,  whose  ox-team 
took  provisions  to  Chicago  for  a quarterly-meeting 
in  1832;  Mrs.  Clark;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weed;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Fish,  with  one  or  two  more.  The  appoint- 
ment was  included  in  the  Peoria  Mission,  of  which 
Jesse  Walker  had  charge  that  year.  In  1829  the 
Fox  River  Mission  Circuit  was  formed ; Jesse 
Walker,  preacher.  Plainfield  was  one  of  the  main 
points.  The  next  year  (1830)  the  name  was  changed 
to  Chicago  Mission,  and  Jesse  Walker  continued  on 
the  work.  During  the  Summer  of  1831  a camp- 
meeting was  held  at  the  Grove.  The  preachers 
present  were  S.  R.  Beggs,  of  Tazewell  Circuit,  on 
the  first  visit  to  the  fair  fields  on  which,  since,  he 
has  put  forth  so  much  manly  labor;  Jesse  Walker, 
the  circuit  preacher;  Isaac  Scarritt,  from  Fort  Clark 
(Peoria)  Mission;  and  Wm.  See,  the  local  preacher 
and  government  blacksmith,  from  the  village  at  the 
forks  of  the  Chicago  River.  The  meeting,^^  says 
an  old  chronicler,  waxed  warmer  and  warmer  till 
Sunday  evening,  when  victory  turned  on  Israel’s 
side.  I invited  mourners  forward,  and  they  came 
in  good  earnest.  God’s  power  was  displayed  in  the 
salvation  of  souls.  The  membership,  much  renewed. 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


337 


blessed  God  and  took  courage/^  There  were  some 
two  hundred  whites^  besides  many  Indians,  present. 
It  must  be  remembered  these  were  gathered  from  a 
circuit  at  least  sixty  miles  around.  And  all  this  in 
on  obscure  country  place,  before  there  had  been  an 
attempt  made  to  form  a class  in  the  great  emporium. 
Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  in  the 
Spring  of  1832,  the  inhabitants  forted  for  a few 
days  in  Brother  Beggs’s  house,  a half  a mile  from 
the  present  site  of  Plainfield ; but  soon  all  left  for 
Chicago.  This  is  probably  the  only  time  the  preach- 
ing has  been  interrupted  at  Plainfield.  In  1831, 
Chicago  becoming  a station,  the  remainder  of  the 
large  circuit  was  called  Des  Plaines,  Jesse  Walker 
continuing  as  preacher,  it  being  the  fourth  Winter 
in  succession  he  had  kept  Plainfield  and  vicinity  in 
the  bounds  of  his  charge,  but  under  the  separate 
names  of  Peoria,  Fox  River,  Chicago,  and  Des 
Plaines  Mission.  In  1832  Mr.  Walker  was  suc- 
ceeded by  S.  R.  Beggs,  who  continued  on  the  work 
two  years. 

The  Juliet  Circuit  was  organized  in  1836,  and 
included  Plainfield  as  an  appointment.  S.  R.  Beggs 
was  preacher.  David  Blackwell  and  E.  Springer 
had  been  the  preachers  in  the  meantime.  During 
the  Fall  of  1836  Brother  Beggs  circulated  a sub- 
scription for  a church  in  Plainfield,  heading  the  list 
with  one  hundred  dollars — an  extravagant  sum  for 
that  day — and  he  soon  had  a church  under  way. 
But  the  hard  times  of  1837  set  in,  and  it  was  a long 
time  before  the  church  could  be  paid  for.  It  was 
not  finished  until  1838.  The  Baptists  commenced 

29 


338 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


to  build  about  the  same  time,  and  it  was  not  long 
till  the  little  village  could  boast  two  churches,  a 
thing  which  only  Galena  and  Chicago  could  then 
boast  of.  The  Baptist  Church  was  organized  Oc- 
tober 16,  1834.  In  1839  a new  circuit  was  organ- 
ized, called  Milford,  taking  all  the  territory  east  of 
Fox  River,  as  far  as  Oswego  and  Plainfield.  Plain- 
field  continued  an  appointment  in  the  bounds  of  the 
Milford  Circuit  until,  in  1848,  it  gave  name  to  a 
charge.  The  place  has  been  greatly  blessed  with 
revivals.  In  1840,  under  E.  Springer,  there  was  a 
great  work.  We  seldom  see,^^  says  S.  R.  Beggs, 
such  displays  of  divine  power  as  was  witnessed 
both  among  the  professors  and  the  unconverted.^^ 
There  was  another  good  work  there  in  1845,  and 
still  another  in  1848,  under  that  revival  genius, 
Absalom  Wooliscroft.  But  in  1860,  under  the  labors 
of  A.  W.  Paige,  there  was  the  most  extensive  re- 
vival ever  witnessed  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
The  convictions  were  deep  and  pungent,  and  the 
conversions  powerful.  During  the  meeting  there 
were  as  many  as  two  hundred  different  persons  for- 
ward for  prayers.  One  hundred  joined  the  Church, 
bringing  the  membership  up  to  three  hundred.  The 
circuit  in  1848  took  in  all  the  territory  directly 
west  from  Plainfield  to  Fox  River,  the  Groom 
school-house,  near  Specie  Grove,  being  the  western 
border.  A parsonage  was  built  before  1850.  The 
preacher  in  1848  was  J.  C.  Stoughton,  who  remained 
two  years  on  the  charge,  greeting  the  conference  in 
1850  with  a hospitable  welcome.  Plainfield  in  1864 
had  two  hundred  members,  a church  worth  eighteen 


NEW  CIRCUITS, 


339 


hundred  dollars,  and  a Sunday-school  with  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  scholars.  The  society  is  now  (1885) 
fifty-six  years  old. 

Chemung  Circuit  was  made  up  in  1848  of  parts 
of  Crystal  Lake  and  Belvidere  Circuits.  The  ap- 
pointments were  at  Chemung,  Round  Prairie,  Stone 
School-house,  Burr  Oak  (near  Sharon),  Burr  Oak 
(near  Marengo),  Big  Foot,  and  Bonus  Prairie. 
Chemung  was  then  an  ambitious  village ; but  the 
North-western  Railway  established  a station  two 
miles  away  at  Harvard,  which  has  left  Chemung  to 
dwindle  along.  There  have  since  been  formed  Big 
Foot,  Harvard,  and  Round  Prairie  Circuits,  leaving 
the  old  circuit  with  Chemung,  County  Line,  Bonus 
Prairie,  and  Burr  Oak.  A class  was  formed  at 
County  Line  by  L.  S.  Walker  in  April,  1839.  It 
was  included  in  the  Rockford  Circuit.  Edward 
Stevenson  and  wife,  William  Bowen  and  Mary,  his 
wife,  were  the  members.  William  Bowen  was 
leader.  A church  Avas  built  here,  six  miles  south- 
west of  Harvard,  in  the  Summer  of  1861.  Some 
years  before,  the  Stevenson  society  had  been  di- 
vided, there  being  a dispute  about  the  preaching- 
place,  and  the  Harvard  and  Chemung  preachers 
had  appointments  in  school-houses  within  two  miles 
of  each  other.  J.  H.  More,  of  Harvard,  and  Will- 
iam R.  Irvine,  of  Chemung,  set  to  work  to  build  a 
church  and  unite  the  societies.  This  church  was 
dedicated  in  the  Winter  of  1862  by  J.  H.  Vincent, 
then  stationed  at  Court  Street,  Rockford.  The  text 
was,  Never  man  spake  like  this  man.^^  The  ser- 
mon, like  all  preached  in  those  days  by  this  effective 


340 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


man,  was  full  of  thought.  A.  D.  Field  and  E.  A,^ 
Blanchard  took  part  in  the  exercises. 

Pawpaw  Circuit  appeared  in  1849.  It  in- 
cluded Shabbona,  Melugin^s,  and  Pawpaw  Groves. 
In  1861,  after  Shabbona  was  taken  off,  there  were 
appointments  at  Pawpaw,  East  and  South  Pawpaw, 
Cottage  Hill,  and  at  the  east  and  west  end  of  Me- 
lugin^s  Grove.  In  June,  1860,  J.  S.  David,  the 
preacher,  undertook  to  hold  a camp-meeting  at  Me- 
lugin^s  Grove,  near  an  unfinished  church;  but  it 
rained  every  day  of  the  meeting  in  gentle  showers. 
On  Sunday,  at  eleven  o’clock,  just  as  the  present 
writer  was  about  to  announce  his  text,  a pleasant 
shower  began  to  fall,  and  the  six  hundred  people, 
under  trees  and  umbrellas,  stood  for  three-quarters 
of  an  hour  during  the  sermon,  with  uninterrupted 
attention.  It  was  preaching  under  difficulties  to 
the  most  patient  congregation  the  preacher  ever 
had  the  pleasure  of  addressing.  The  country  com- 
posing this  circuit  is  between  the  railways,  and, 
being  unaffected  by  rising  towns,  remained  without 
much  change  for  years. 

The  work  had  been  districted  during  the  period 
we  have  passed  over  as  follows: 

1846.  Chicago  District,  James  Mitchell,  P.  E. ; 
Ottawa  District,  Milton  Bourne,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris 
District,  H.  Crews,  P.  E. 

1847.  Chicago  District,  John  Chandler,  P.  E. ; 
Ottawa  District,  M.  Bourne,  P.  E. ; Rock  Island 
District,  John  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris  District, 
H.  Crews,  P.  E. 

1848.  Chicago  District,  H,  Crews,  P.  E. ; Ot- 


NEW  CIRCUIT^. 


341 


tawa  District^  M.  Bourne,  P,  E. ; Rock  Island 
District,  John  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris  District, 
P.  Judson,  P.  E. 

1849.  Chicago  District,  A.  L.  Risley,  P.  E. ; 
Ottawa  District,  M.  Bourne,  P.  E. ; Rock  Island 
District,  J.  Sinclair,  P.  E. ; Mt.  Morris  District, 
P.  Judson,  P.  E. 

Including  1845,  we  have  but  two  new  men ; 
they  are  Elders  Risley  and  Chandler.  Two  of  the 
Chicago  charges,  as  before  stated,  would  not  receive 
cordially  as  elder  any  one  who  had  voted  in  the 
Mitchell  case,  and  the  bishop  was  obliged  to  im- 
port — to  use  a modern  term — a brother  from 
Southern  Illinois.  But  while  Asahel  L.  Risley  was 
an  old  and  tried  minister,  he  did  not  find  Northern 
ways  pleasant,  and  after  supplying  the  Chicago  Dis- 
trict two  years  went  back  to  the  Illinois  Conference. 
Many  useful  men  came  into  conference  on  probation 
between  1845  and  1850.  We  can  do  but  little  more 
than  name  some  of  them. 

CLASS  OF  1848. 

Lewis  R.  Ellis  was  expelled  in  1852  for  im- 
moral conduct,  and  the  very  week  he  was  expelled 
from  the  Rock  River  Conference  he  joined  the 
Protestant  Methodist  Church,  and  was  stationed  in 
Chicago ! After  serving  there  two  years  he  went 
East. 

Justus  M.  Hinman  was  a quiet,  good  brother, 
who  went  to  California  in  1851,  and  was,  we  be- 
lieve, traveling  a circuit  there  in  1864.  Boyd 
Lowe,  after  twenty  years,  was  in  1865  doing  reg- 


342 


MEMORMLS  OF  METHODISM. 


ular  work  in  the  conference.  John  Grundy  was 
a small,  quiet  Englishman,  who  the  same  year 
traveled  in  Central  Illinois  Conference.  Wesley 
Lattin  was,  from  the  start,  more  than  usually  elo- 
quent and  popular.  He  came  to  conference  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Sycamore,  and  served  his  first 
year  on  Sycamore  Circuit.  He  passed  the  next 
year  into  Wisconsin,  where  he  became  a revivalist, 
a peacemaker,  and  a preacher  of  the  fullness  of  the 
Gospel.  William  B.  Atkinson  was  a small,  slow, 
eloquent  Irishman,  whose  only  quality  fitting  him 
for  a Methodist  preacher  was  the  power  to  preach 
the  most  eloquent  of  sermons.  He  retired  from  the 
conference  and  joined  the  Congregationalists  in 
1852.  Hector  J.  Humphrey  was  a man-of-all- 
work,  a driver,  and  a revivalist.  In  1861  he  went 
South  as  major  in  an  Illinois  cavalry  regiment,  and 
that  is  the  last  we  have  known  of  him.  Wesson 
G.  Miller,  we  believe,  never  traveled  in  our 
bounds ; but  he  became  a leading  man  in  Wis- 
consin, being  elder  some  of  the  time,  and  now 
(1885)  is  a leading  man  in  the  Nebraska  Conference. 

CLASS  OF  1840. 

Benjamin  Applebee  was  an  eloquent,  labo- 
rious, successful  preacher.  He  is  now  in  the  Central 
Illinois  Conference.  W.  M.  Osborne  has  spoken 
for  himself  efficiently  for  twenty  years.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  North-west  Wisconsin  Conference. 
Benjamin  Close  went  out  to  Oregon  about  1853, 
and  after  laboring  as  a pioneer  as  far  up  as  Puget 
Sound  he  returned  to  Illinois  in  1857,  and  has 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


343 


since  been  doing  efficient  work  in  the  Rock  River 
Conference.  Milton  L.  Haney  is  the  deepest 
thoughted  man  of  the  four  brothers.  Eloquent, 
pious,  laborious,  he  has  ever  made  his  mark. 
Alonzo  Falkenbury  was  a member  of  a fine 
family  in  White  Hall,  New  York.  He  came  to 
Iroquois  County  in  1845  when  a young  man,  and 
at  Middleport  was  county  judge,  school  commis- 
sioner, school  teacher,  assessor,  and  local  preacher 
all  at -one  time.  He  was  admitted  to  conference 
this  year  against  his  will,  and  never  went  to  his 
work.  He  was  again  admitted  in  1851,  and  trav- 
eled for  several  years,  when  he  located.  He  was 
for  awhile  in  1865  on  Sinclair  Circuit.  Thomas 
F.  Royal  was  a son  of  the  old  pioneer  William 
Royal.  He  at  once  became  beloved  and  popular. 
He  went  with  his  relatives  in  1853  across  the 
country  to  Oregon,  and  has  ever  since  been  a useful 
member  of  the  Oregon  Conference.  For  some 
time  he  was  principal  of  Umpqua  Academy.  He 
was  educated  at  McKendree  College  when  John  L. 
Scripps  of  the  Chicago  Tribune  was  teacher  there. 
H.  N.  Irish  died  soon  and  passed  from  our  view. 
He  was  the  father  of  Sarepta  Irish  Henry,  one  of 
our  best  Western  song  writers. 

CLASS  Of  1847. 

Christopher  Lazenbee  was  from  England. 
He  was  converted  among  the  primitive  Methodists, 
and  went  to  Wisconsin  about  1845  as  a primitive 
Methodist  preacher,  and  formed,  we  believe,  the  first 
society  of  that  denomination  in  the  West.  But 


344 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


finding  that  there  was  no  special  use  for  such  a 
people  here  he  united  with  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference, in  connection  with  which  he  labored  effec- 
tively for  many  years.  He  was  one  of  our  most 
deeply  pious  members.  Feancis  A.  Reed  was 
raised  up  into  religious  life  at  Joliet,  and  as  an  ex- 
horter  he  filled  many  appointments  in  the  surround- 
ing country.  Amiable,  modest,  pious,  he  has  always 
been  loved  and  useful.  What  kind  of  a preacher 
he  is  we  only  know  from  hearsay,  for  it  is  supposed 
that  he  never  preaches  before  preachers.  Worthy 
and  beloved  is  his  name.  All  this  changed  when 
he  became  presiding  elder  in  1869.  But  we  can 
not  linger  over  these  names.  The  time  has  not 
come  for  a summing  up  of  their  lives.  Most  of 
them  are  still  making  history.  There  was  Roswell. 
N.  Mouse,  a native  of  Illinois,  twenty-six  years 
old  in  1847,  who  has  been  one  of  our  most  zealous 
workers;  Simpson  Guyer,  honest,  reliable,  sure; 
Elijah  Stone,  talented,  somewhat  metaphysical, 
who  never  worked  up  to  his  own  standard ; Robert 
K.  Bibbins,  a student  of  Mt.  Morris,  and  a man 
whose  health  has  never  been  equal  to  his  talent 
and  will  to  do ; C.  W.  Batchellor,  whose  zeal 
and  devotion  to  the  work  was  more  than  most;  S. 
R.  Thorp,  the  clever  professor  at  Mt.  Morris;  and 
James  E.  Wilson,  a transferring  man,  who  ex- 
celled in  poetic  flashes  and  glittering  eloquence. 

CLASS  OF  1848. 

The  class  this  year  was  small,  yet  not  less  hon- 
orable than  others.  There  were  C.  C.  Olds,  the 


NEW  CIRCUITS. 


345 


nervous,  driving  principal  of  Rock  River  Seminary 
in  1847,  who  has  since  served  so  long  as  professor 
at  Albion,  Michigan;  and  William  J.  Smith, 
raised  in  Joliet,  and  who  labored  most  of  his  time 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Central  Illinois  Conference. 
He  was  amiable  and  useful.  W.  P.  Jones,  the 
worthy  steward  at  Mt.  Morris  at  the  time  of  joining 
conference,  who  had  been  for  twenty  years  a local 
preacher,  and  who  has  filled  many  of  our  best  ap- 
pointments most  acceptably,  and  who  for  years 
efficiently  looked  after  the  temporal  interests  of  the 
Female  College  at  Evanston;  James  F?  Chaffee, 
a man  who  stood  high  here,  and  seems  to  be  appre- 
ciated in  Minnesota,  where  he  makes  an  acceptable 
presiding  elder ; Jesse  B.  Quinby,  small  and  quiet 
in  manner,  reliable,  useful;  W.  S.  Fidler,  whose 
death  will  be  noticed  elsewhere ; A,  D.  Field,  J.  J. 
Hedstrom,  the  Illinois  apostle  to  the  Swedes,  and 
W.  WiLMOT,  whose  talents  were  more  marked  than 
his  success. 

The  class  of  1849  has  few  names  in  it  that  ever 
did  service  here.  There  was  William  Foughts; 
J.  P.  Vance,  the  lawyer,  who  became  a preacher; 
Joseph  S.  Wilson,  who  was  successful  at  a trade, 
or  in  managing  rampant  rowdies;  Myron  L. 
Averil,  and  John  B.  Dodge,  who  was  discon- 
tinued in  1852  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  who, 
after  lingering  along,  went  South  to  receive  benefit, 
and  died  in  Louisiana  in  1855. 

The  deaths  during  our  ^period  were  few.  In 
1846  C.  D.  Cahoon  is  reported  among  the  departed. 
He  had  been  the  year  before  appointed  to  Rockford, 


346 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  had  died  after  his  first  Sabbath.  This  was  the 
only  work  he  ever  did  in  our  bounds.  In  1848 
there  is  another  name  inserted  among  the  honored 
dead.  James  Lackenby  was  born  in  York, 
England,  in  1810.  Early  in  life  he  gave  his  life  to 
Christ,  and  united  with  the  Wesleyans.  After  la- 
boring for  several  years  as  a local  preacher  he  came 
to  this  country  in  1839,  and  in  1844  was  admitted 
to  conference  and  appointed  to  Momence  Circuit. 
He  was  afterwards  on  the  Wheeling  Circuit  and 
Menominee  Mission,  and  in  1847  appointed  with  A. 
Wooliscroft  on  Milford  Circuit.  On  the  21st  of  De- 
cember, 1847,  when  on  his  way  to  an  appointment 
his  horse  ran  away,  throwing  him  with  violence 
from  the  buggy  to  the  frozen  ground.  The  skull 
was  broken,  and  he  expired  thirty  hours  after.  For 
a time  he  was  rational  and  spoke  in  cheerful  lan- 
guage of  his  prospects.  ^^Tell  my  brethren  if  I 
should  die,’^  he  said,  that  Christ  is  precious ; he  is 
all  in  all ; all  is  well ; my  way  is  clear.^^  As  a 
preacher  he  was  plain,  practical,  and  useful.  As  a 
Christian  he  professed  the  blessing  of  perfect  love. 
In  1849  David  Fellows,  a quiet,  useful,  member 
of  the  conference,  died.  He  was  also  on  the  Mil- 
ford Circuit  when  he  departed. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


347 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 

IN  1850  the  preachers  from  Hancock  County  to 
Waukegan  rallied  to  Plainfield  to  conference. 
They  came  on  horseback  and  in  buggy ; for  as  yet 
there  were  no  public  conveyances  to  that  quiet  vil- 
lage. The  town  was  small,  and  the  preachers  were 
compelled  to  board  around  for  two  miles  in  the 
country.  On  Thursday  evening  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  sermons  ever  preached  before  the  confer- 
ence was  listened  to  by  admiring  hearers.  The  text 
was:  ^^Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with 
dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ?’^  Theme  : Parallel 
between  literal  and  spiritual  Edom.  Both  were 
supplied  with  arms,  means,  etc.  The  preacher  pro- 
ceeded very  coolly  and  elaborately  to  lay  down 
statement  after  statement  until  the  personage  was 
to  appear.  Bozrah  was  an  Edomite  stronghold. 
Christ  was  in  this  Bozrah,  the  grave,  the  stronghold 
of  the  kingdom  of  death.  None  of  us  saw  the  drift 
of  the  sermon.  We  were  intently  listening  to  the 
eloquent  strains  that  flowed  in  soft  cadences  from 
the  stranger.  All  at  once  the  preacher  broke  away 
from  cool  restraint,  and  in  a few  grand  flashes 
brought  out  the  conquering  Savior  with  dyed  gar- 
ments’’  from  the  Bozrah  of  death,  triumphant,  on 


348 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


his  way  to  the  skies,  thus  foiling  the  great  enemy, 
and  bringing  life  and  immortality  to  man.  The 
whole  was  the  result  of  a minute,  and  was  finished 
in  two  sentences.  The  preachers  were  beside  them- 
selves. Tears,  shouts,  joy,  bore  the  crowd  away, 
and  the  preacher  was  obliged  to  rise  above  the  tu- 
mult to  make  himself  heard.  This  was  J.  W. 
Flowerses  introduction  to  the  conference.  He  was 
just  from  the  Pittsburg  Conference. 

Bishop  Hamline  presided.  It  was  his  second 
visit,  he  having  presided  at  Galena  in  1846.  We 
who  had  never  seen  him,  and  had  heard  of  his  se- 
dateness, saw  enough  of  it  here.  He  appeared  like 
a very  good  man ; but  being  troubled  with  heart 
disease,  and  in  immediate  view  of  death,  he  strove 
to  bring  the  whole  conference  to  the  doleful  tone 
of  the  tomb.  There  is  no  doubt  a lack  of  a proper 
devotional  spirit  at  all  our  conferences.  But  be 
it  known  as  a palliation,  that  it  is  the  only  hol- 
iday the  preacher  enjoys  for  a year.  At  all  other 
times  the  cares  of  his  work  are  upon  him.  At  con- 
ference he  relaxes  himself,  lays  aside  his  warrior 
weapons,  and  talks  with  his  brethren  in  a social 
way,  enjoying,  as  a man  of  no  other  class  can,  the 
society  of  his  fellow-laborers.  But  the  good  bish- 
op’s stringency  made  many  shy  of  that  holiness  of 
which  he  made  great  profession.  It  was  always  his 
habit,  whenever  any  thing  pleasant  occurred  in 
company  or  conference,  causing  a laugh,  to  call  the 
company  or  conference  to  prayer,  requesting  the 
person  to  pray  who  was  laughing  the  heartiest. 
Several  times  at  the  Plainfield  conference,  whenever 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


349 


the  members  waxed  a little  merry,  the  bishop  would 
call  us  to  our  knees  to  engage  in  prayer.  At  a 
session  of  the  Illinois  Conference  Peter  Cartwright 
at  one  time  indulged  in  pleasantry,  and  the  bishop 
asked,  Brother  Cartwright,  do  you  think  you  are 
growing  in  grace  Yes,  in  spots  was  the  rather 
uncouth  reply. 

The  conference  love-feast  is  always  one  of  the 
greatest  treats  of  the  year,  and  in  the  days  of  closed 
doors  there  were  always  preachers  enough  to  fill  the 
room  at  the  Sunday  morning  meeting,  so  that  the 
doors  have  never  been  closed  since  our  recollection. 
At  Plainfield  the  hour  arrived  for  love-feast,  and 
the  house  was  crowded  with  preachers  and  mem- 
bers, blessed  in  anticipation  of  what  was  to  come. 
The  bishop  came  in,  and  as  he  arose  to  open  the 
meeting,  he  asked  if  the  rules  had  been  observed 
and  the  doors  kept  closed.  Being  told  the  state  of 
the  case,  he  remarked,  I can  not  relate  my  expe- 
rience before  a promiscuous  audience ; we  will  have 
a prayer-meeting.^^  The  order  was  given  to  unite 
in  prayer,  and  some  brother  was  called  upon  to 
lead,  and  the  hour  was  passed  in  the  dryest  prayer- 
meeting many  of  us  ever  attended.  It  is  said  the 
good  bishop  grew  cheerfuller  in  his  temperament  as 
he  grew  older. 

It  was  at  this  conference  that  a crowd  gathered 
at  the  Plainfield  cemetery  to  unite  in  the  exercises 
of  reinterring  the  bones  of  Jesse  Walker,  which 
were  removed  from  an  obscure  place  to  this  spot,  so 
near  the  home  of  his  latter  days.  It  was  worth 
something  to  see  even  the  bones  of  the  first  Meth- 


350 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


odist  preacher  who  entered  the  bounds  of  this  now 
famous  conference. 

There  were  now  8,270  members  in  the  Church. 
The  following  list  of  appointments  will  give  some 
idea  of  the  extent  and  form  of  the  work : 

Chicago  District  : A.  L.  Bisley,  P.  E, — Clark 
Street,  S.  P.  Keyes;  Canal  Street,  Wm.  Palmer; 
Indiana  Street,  Boyd  Lowe;  City  Mission,  supplied; 
Union  Ridge,  G.  W.  Murphy ; Wheeling,  S.  A.  W. 
Jewett;  Waukegan,  R.  Beatty;  Liberty ville,  F.  A. 
Reed,  William  Kegan;  Elgin,  S.  Bolles;  Dundee, 
H.  S.  Trumbull  ; Naperville,  J.  C.  Stoughton,  J. 
Kirk;  Flagg  Creek,  J.  Grundy;  Blue  Island,  H. 
P.  M.  Brown. 

Ottawa  District:  0.  A.  Walker ^ P.  E. — Ot- 
tawa, N.  P.  Heath  ; Newark,  J.  W.  Flowers ; Plain- 
field,  S.  Stover;  Joliet,  J.  P.  Vance;  Lockport, 
S.  F.  Denning ; Kankakee  Mission,  S.  P.  Burr ; . . . 
Wilmington,  O.  W.  Miinger;  . . . Peru,  R.  A. 
Blanchard. 

Rock  Island  District  : J.  Sinclair,  P.  E. — 
. . . Princeton,  J.  H.  D.  More ; Troy  Grove,  G.  C. 
Holmes ; Prophetstown,  L.  Whipple ; Union  Grove, 
M.  Hanna. 

Mt.  Morris  District  : Richard  Haney,  P.  E, — 
Mt.  Morris,  N.  Jewett;  Rockford,  W.  P.  Jones;  Ros- 
coe,  J.  W.  Agard;  Sugar  River,  supplied ; Freeport 
Mission,  J.  F.  Devore ; Cedar  Creek,  C.  Bingham ; 
Millville,  W.  R.  Irvine;  Galena,  A.  E.  Phelps; 
Wapella,  C.  Lazenby;  Elizabeth,  George  Lovesee; 
Mt.  Carroll,  J.  Luccock ; Buffalo  Grove,  M.  L. 
Averill ; H.  Crews,  agent  Rock  River  Seminary. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851.  351 

Belvidere  District:  L.  Hitcheock,  P.  E. — 
Belvidere,  W.  Wilmot;  Cherry  Valley,  R.  K.  Bib- 
bins  ; Sycamore,  M.  Decker ; Light-house  Point, 
A.  M.  Early ; Dixon,  T.  North ; Lee  Center,  E. 
Brown;  Little  Rock,  Amos  Wiley;  St.  Charles,  Z. 
Hall,  S.  Guyer,  J.  Baume  ; Pawpaw,  Wm.  Foughts; 
McHenry,  C.  W.  Batcheller ; Crystal  Lake,  S.  H. 
Stocking,  J.  Hodges;  Chemung,  L.  S.  Walker, 
J.  B.  Dodge ; C.  C.  Olds,  transferred  to  Michigan 
Conference. 

Among  the  new  men  received  at  this  conference 
were  S.  A.  W.  Jewett,  James  Baume,  Jehu  W. 
Stogdill,  Henderson  Richey,  John  P.  Brooks,  Wil- 
bur McKaig,  William  R.  Irvine,  William  Kegan, 
George  W.  Murphy,  John  L.  Jenkins,  and  Silas 
Searle, — perhaps  a class  of  the  most  noted  men  ever 
received  in  one  year.  J.  W.  Flowers  and  John 
Luccock  came  by  transfer. 

By  reviewing  the  appointments  of  1860,  it  will 
be  seen  that  but  fifteen  of  those  who  received  ap- 
pointments in  1840  were  yet,  after  ten  years,  receiv- 
ing work  in  the  conference.  These  were  H.  Crews, 
S.  P.  Keyes,  S.  Bolles,  O.  A.  Walker,  R.  A.  Blan- 
chard, M.  Bourne,  B.  H.  Cartwright,  J.  L.  Kirk- 
patrick, J.  Sinclair,  William  Gaddis,  N.  Jewett,  A. 
M.  Early,  S.  H.  Stocking,  J.  Hodges,  and  L.  S. 
Walker. 

Let  us  for  a season  return  to  some  of  those  old 
and  honorable  charges  whose  history  we  have  left 
incomplete. 

We  left  F.  T.  Mitchell  at  Galena  in  1844.  He 
reported  two  hundred  and  fifty  members  in  1845, 


352 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


and  was  succeeded  by  F.  A.  Savage,  who  had  joined 
the  conference  in  1844,  and  had  been  stationed  at 
Milwaukee.  He  was  discontinued  in  1846,  and 
Philo  Judson  appointed  to  Galena.  During  this 
year  a new  and  more  stylish  front  was  put  on  the 
old  church.  In  1847  R.  A.  Blanchard  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  work.  In  two  months  after  his  ar- 
rival a revival  commenced,  which  continued  all 
through  the  year.  There  were  conversions  and  ac- 
cessions nearly  every  week.  At  their  request  he 
formed  four  official  members  into  a band,^^  accord- 
ing to  the  Discipline  previous  to  1852,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  they  enjoyed  the  blessing  of  perfect 
love.  Then  he  was  requested  to  organize  another 
band.  The  same  results  followed.  In  this  way  he 
organized  five  bands,  all  of  which  proved  a blessing 
to  those  who  united  in  them.  The  holy  influence 
spread  more  and  more  through  the  Church.  Once 
in  four  weeks  he  met  all  the  bands  together,  and 
meetings  of  great  power  were  held.  Nearly  all  the 
members  of  the  official  board  enjoyed  the  fullness 
of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  peace.  A.  E. 
Phelps  was  the  preacher  in  1849.  During  his  ad- 
ministration a large  number  were  received  into  the 
Church.  In  1851  Matthew  Sorin,  an  able  and  elo- 
quent superannuated  preacher  from  the  Philadelphia 
Conference,  was  sent  as  a supply  to  the  charge. 

The  quarterly  conference  of  February  15,  1856, 
voted  to  proceed  to  build  a new  church.  A building 
committee  was  appointed,  and  the  church  was  ded- 
icated the  next  January.  At  that  time  T.  M.  Eddy, 
who  had  just  entered  the  Advocate  office  as  editor. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851, 


353 


and  Bishop  Ames  set  out  from  Chicago  to  dedicate 
the  Galena  church.  Arriving  at  Freeport  they 
found  that,  between  that  place  and  Dunleith,  two  or 
three  locomotives  were  fast  in  the  snow.  About  six 
o’clock  in  the  evening  a train  proposed  to  leave, 
and  the  Chicago  travelers  were  joined  by  Luke 
Hitchcock  and  M.  L.  Reed.  They  hurried  into  the 
cars,  and  sat  till  nine  at  night,  then  set  out.  More 
than  once  on  the  route  the  steam  gave  out,  and  the 
cars  stopped  to  catch  breath.  At  half-past  one  they 
reached  the  Galena  depot,  and,  not  finding  a bridge, 
they  wended  their  way  by  guess  over  Fever  River 
to  a hotel,  freezing  with  the  cold.  The  mercury 
was  thirty-two  degrees  below  zero.  The  services 
came  on.  They  found  there  a church  forty-seven 
by  eighty-one  feet,  with  a tower  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  high  and  a good  basement.  There  was  a 
full  house  at  half-past  ten  A.  M.  Bishop  Ames 
preached,  and  Luke  Hitchcock  presented  a state- 
ment of  the  cost,  which  was  sixteen  thousand  dol- 
lars. They  needed  three  thousand  two  hundred 
dollars  to  make  up  deficiencies;  there  was  a re- 
sponse of  two  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars.  Mr. 
Hitchcock  preached  to  the  children  in  the  after- 
noon, Dr.  Eddy  preached  in  the  evening,  and  M.  L. 
Reed  called  for  the  balance  of  the  needful.  But, 
somehow,  these  great  subscriptions  fail  to  wind  up 
matters.  There  is  generally  great  leakage  some- 
where. It  was  so  at  Galena;  for  J.  F.  Yates,  the 
efficient  pastor  of  1864,  found  debts  of  eight  thou- 
sand dollars,  which  he  succeeded  in  paying.  The 
church  was  dedicated  January  17,  1857.  They  have 

30 


354 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


since  had  revivals  and  some  prosperity.  There  was 
a fine  ingathering  under  J.  H.  Vincent  in  1861. 

In  1845  C.  D.  Gaboon  was  appointed  to  Rock- 
ford. He  preached  there  but  once^  and  died  and 
lies  buried  near  Rockford.  John  Luccock,  just 
from  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  supplied  to  the 
charge.  During  the  year  Mr.  Luccock  started  a 
subscription  for  a church,  which  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  seven  thousand  dollars,  and  dedicated  the 
3d  of  June,  1848,  a year  before  the  conference  of 
1849.  This  was  the  building  still  occupied  by  the 
First  Church  till  1883.  When  once  a Church  gets 
into  its  house  of  worship,  its  history  is  uneventful. 
That  Church  has  prospered  ever  since,  as  the  three 
colonies  give  witness.  It  has  been  blessed  with  the 
best  pastors  the  conference  has  afforded,  and  re- 
vivals have  from  time  to  time  been  the  order.  In 
1864  there  were  two  hundred  and  forty  members;  a 
church  worth  ten  thousand  dollars;  parsonage  worth 
twenty-eight  hundred  dollars.  There  was  a report 
of  two  hundred  and  seventy-one  dollars  for  the  mis- 
sion cause,  and  a Sunday-school  with  one  hundred 
and  ninety  scholars. 

Joliet  began  the  year  1845  with  as  many  as  three 
hundred  members,  with  O.  A.  Walker  and  R.  E. 
Thomas  as  preachers.  The  circuit  included  Lock- 
port  and  the  Hickory  Creek  and  Chelsea  country. 
In  1849,  when  S.  F.  Denning  was  on  the  work,  the 
appointments  were  : At  Joliet,  once  in  two  weeks; 
Yankee  Settlement,  Lockport,  Chelsea,  Hickory 
Creek,  South  Chelsea,  Dryer’s  Class,  and  Ward’s 
School-house,  four  miles  south  of  Joliet.  In  1850 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


355 


Joliet  became  a station,  with  an  appropriation  of 
one  hundred  dollars  from  the  Missionary  Society. 
Through  the  influence  of  M.  L.  Reed  the  old  church 
was  sold  in  1853,  and  a new  one  erected,  which  was 
dedicated  in  the  Spring  of  1854  by  John  Clark  and 
J.  E.  Wilson.  This  house,  with  the  parsonage,  we 
believe,  was  burned  down  in  1858,  and  another  built 
on  the  same  ground  in  1859.  In  May,  1857,  when 
the  pastor,  Wm.  Goodfellow,  went  to  South  Amer- 
ica, J.  H.  Vincent,  the  effective  Sunday-school 
worker,  was  transferred  from  the  New  Jersey  Con- 
ference, and  stationed  at  Joliet. 

The  new  circuits  constituted  at  the  conference  at 
Plainfield  in  1850  were  mostly  missions  on  the  out- 
skirts of  old  and  permanent  circuits — little  twiglets, 
ambitious  young  appointments  struggling  into  life 
and  recognition.  There  was  Flagg  Creek,  which 
became  Downer^s  Grove,  Cedar  Creek  (Cedar- 
ville),  Troy  Grove,  and  Cherry  Valley. 

Cedarville  is  a village  six  miles  north  of  Free- 
port, settled  by  Pennsylvania  Germans.  The  ap- 
pointments in  1856  were  at  Cedarville,  Orangeville 
Mt.  Pleasant,  and  Dacotah.  In  1852  they  had  been 
at  Cedarville,  Wadams  Grove,  English  Settlement, 
Yankee  Settlement,  Winslow,  Big  Woods,  and  New 
Pennsylvania.  There  is  a good  Methodist  church 
at  Cedarville,  built  between  1850  and  1856.  In 
1851  there  were  four  hundred  and  sixty  members. 

Troy  Grove  was  set  off  from  the  Peru  charge 
in  1850.  There  were  one  or  two  appointments 
around  the  grove  in  1842,  when  it  was  on  Princeton 
Circuit.  S.  R.  Beggs  preached  there  in  1834  when 


356 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


on  the  Bureau  Circuit.  An  appointment  was  first 
established  by  Zadoc  Hall  in  1833,  when  he  organ- 
ized the  first  class  there.  The  preaching  was  at 
John  Johnson^s,  on  the  east  side  of  the  grove.  The 
little  band  of  1833  were  John  Johnson  and  wife, 
Hiram  Barnhart,  and  a Sister  Wicksom.  There 
has  probably  been  a class  and  an  appointment  there 
ever  since.  The  circuit  has  had  its  ups  and  downs, 
disappearing  altogether  in  1854  to  reappear  again 
in  1860.  The  appointments  in  1865  were  at  Tri- 
umph, Prairie  Center,  Waltham,  and  Hebron. 
There  is  a pretty  frame  church  at  Triumph  erected 
under  the  supervision  of  Wm.  M.  Foreman,  and 
dedicated  in  1864. 

Cherey  Valley  appeared  in  1850.  There 
were  but  two  appointments  in  1856.  These  were  at 
Cherry  Valley  and  New  Milford.  A church  thirty- 
six  by  fifty  feet  was  completed,  under  direction  of 
George  Lovesee  in  1856,  and  dedicated  by  Sias 
Bolles,  who  at  that  time  was  the  great  church  ded- 
icator of  the  conference.  At  the  present  time  the 
society  is  feeble,  as  it  ever  has  been,  and  owes  its 
feebleness  to  union  with  others,  and  a want  of  in- 
dependence. The  circuit  embraces  the  neighbor- 
hoods on  the  prairie  for  four  or  five  miles  around. 
When  the  circuit  was  first  organized  in  1850  there 
were  appointments  at  the  Red  School-house,  two 
miles  north  of  Cherry  Valley ; at  Shattuek^s  Grove; 
Blood^s  Point;  Gravel  School-house,  south  of  Cherry 
Valley;  New  Milford;  Metier  School-house;  and 
at  Pennsylvania  Settlement. 

The  conference  met  in  Peoria  for  the  second 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


357 


time  in  1851.  The  preachers  were  cared  for  by 
John  Chandler,  the  presiding  elder,  and  C.  C.  Best, 
the  preacher-in-charge,  who  had  arrived  about  a 
month  before  from  the  Pittsburg  Conference  to  fill 
the  place  of  J.  C.  Parks,  who  had  basely  fallen. 
Bishop  Waugh  presided  over  the  doings  of  the  ses- 
sion. He  had  been  at  Mt.  Morris  in  1840,  at  Chi- 
cago in  1847,  and  now  he  came  for  the  last  time  to 
look  upon  the  enterprising  band  he  organized  in 
1840.  Eleven  years  were  past,  and  but  fourteen  of 
the  seventy -five  of  1840  received  appointments  in 
1851.  On  account  of  the  fall  of  J.  C.  Parks  the 
preachers  were  held  in  disrepute.  So  does  a body 
suffer  when  one  of  its  members  degrades  himself. 
There  used  to  be  more  begging  permitted  at  con- 
ference than  now.  The  roll  used  to  be  called  and 
the  preachers  would  march  up  to  the  altar  and  pay 
their  missionary  poll  tax,  and  at  Plainfield  they 
gave  their  individual  obligations  for  $4,000  for  the 
Rock  River  Seminary,  which,  by  the  way,  we  be- 
lieve, was  never  half  paid.  At  Peoria  J.  J.  Hed- 
strom,  the  Swede  missionary  and  member  of  the 
conference,  came  before  the  body  with  a tale  of 
Blanchard-Galesburg  persecution  and  proselytism, 
and  by  a simple  recital  brought  tears  from  the  eyes 
of  all,  and  four  hundred  dollars  from  the  preachers^ 
pockets.  Delegates  were  elected  to  General  Confer- 
ence. Richard  Haney,  A.  E.  Phelps,  Luke  Hitch- 
cock, S.  P.  Keyes,  and  John  Chandler  were  elected. 
S.  P.  Keyes  was  the  first  delegate  from  the  confer- 
ence who  had  never  been  presiding  elder;  J.  C. 
Stoughton  was  the  second.  There  was  one  of  the 


358 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


closest  contests  between  the  friends  of  Hooper 
Crews  and  John  Chandler  that  one  often  sees.  The 
tellers  retired  to  count  votes  a dozen  times  ere  John 
Chandler  could  obtain  a majority.  And  it  is  no 
harm  to  say  that  the  officiousness  of  certain  friends 
on  either  side  caused  the  voters  to  remain  by  their 
man  so  long.  A man  has  more  need  to  fear  syco- 
phants than  enemies.  There  was  another  contest 
just  like  it  over  John  Morey  and  John  Dempster 
in  1865.  The  conference  was  to  be  divided  in  May, 
and  the  struggle  was  to  decide  which  conference 
should  have  the  remaining  delegate.  The  friends 
of  Morey  succeeded.  But  this  is  anticipating. 

The  class  received  at  Peoria  were  A.  L.  Adams, 
who  died  in  1859;  Charles  French,  a quiet 
English  brother,  who  has  since  then  rendered  ef- 
fective and  faithful  service;  Martin  P.  Sweet, 
who  located  in  1854,  and  returned  to  his  former 
home  at  Freeport  to  run  off  into  a transcendental 
spiritual  free-loveism,  and  who  died  in  1863;  Henry 
Whipple,  who  was  raised  near  Roscoe,  and  is 
a brother  of  Josiah  W.  Whipple,  who  went  to  Texas 
in  1841 — educated  at  Mt.  Morris,  where  he  first 
went  in  1841,  he  has  been  one  of  our  most  popular 
men;  he  began  on  one  of  the  poorest  circuits  and 
went  to  a four  years^  service  in  Chicago — C.  F. 
Wright,  a quiet,  mild-tempered  preacher  of  mod- 
erate talents,  who,  passing  through  much  affiiction, 
was  never  fully  appreciated  by  his  conference,  and 
who  went  to  the  Minnesota  Conference  in  1864; 
and  Elijah  Ransom,  a brother-in-law  to  Wm.  R. 
Irvine,  a Mt.  Morris  student,  and  the  largest  man 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


359 


in  the  conference  when  in  it.  He  went  with  the 
Central  Illinois  Conference  when  the  conference 
was  divided  in  1856,  and  was  in  1864  chaplain  ot 
a regiment.  It  is  not  often  that  appointments  are 
made  in  joke,  but  now  and  then  a harmless  one 
occurs.  David  Strawn,  one  of  the  Illinois  cattle 
dealers  living  south  of  Ottawa  on  the  Ottawa  Cir- 
cuit, and  the  leading  man  of  the  charge,  complained 
that  the  conference  had  always  sent  men  of  puny 
body  and  feeble  health  to  the  circuit,  and  wanted 
to  know  if  there  were  no  able-bodied  men.  The 
elder  sent  in  1854  Elijah  Ransom,  who  was  six  feet 
high,  and  the  heaviest  man  in  conference,  and  J.  H. 
Denman,  who  was  six  feet  six  in  his  boots.  What 
Strawn  thought  of  these  Anakim  we  have  never 
heard.  He  could  not  have  picked  better  men  for 
any  circuit. 

Among  the  transfers  was  C.  C.  Best,  a short, 
stoutly  built,  Pennsylvania  German,  and  a Pitts- 
burgian  preacher,  loud,  stormy,  zealous,  thoughtful, 
who  was  admitted  to  the  Baltimore  Conference  in 
1834,  and  who  came  to  Illinois  in  May,  1851,  to  fill 
the  vacancy  at  Peoria,  and  who  has  since  filled 
honorable  positions  in  the  Rock  River  Conference, 
being  presiding  elder  five  or  six  years,  and  an  effi- 
cient general  worker.  In  1863  he  closed  up  thirty 
years  of  uninterrupted  labor.  William  Gaddis  had 
died  and  J.  C.  Parks  had  been  expelled.  The  new 
charges  were  State  Street,  Chicago ; Dover,  Hanover, 
Chicken  Grove,  Geneva,  and  Aurora. 

During  the  preceding  year,  through  the  liberality, 
of  Orrington  Lunt,  a lot  was  procured  on  the  cor- 


360 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


ner  of  State  and  Harrison  Streets,  one  block  west 
of  the  present  Wabash  Avenue  Church,  and  seven 
blocks,  or  about  three  quarters  of  a mile,  south  of 
Clark  Street  Church.  A building  forty  by  sixty 
feet,  formerly  owned  by  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  the  same  in  which  Dr.  R.  W.  Patterson 
began  his  ministry  in  1841  on  Randolph  Street,  was 
purchased  and  moved  to  the  lot  on  State  Street, 
and  fitted  up  in  a neat  and  convenient  manner,  and 
a Sunday-school  organized.  At  this  conference 
(1851)  N.  P.  Heath  was  appointed  to  the  new  and 
rising  charge.  He  entered  with  zeal  upon  his  work 
and  a substantial  society  was  at  once  organized, 
which  proceeded  to  perform  the  regular  work  of  a 
Church  of  Christ.  The  pastors  afterwards  were,  in 
1854-55,  F.  A.  Reed,  and  in  1855-56,  W.  B.  Slaugh- 
ter. Many  of  the  wealthiest  members  of  old  Clark 
Street  Church  had  united  at  State  Street,  among 
whom  were  O.  Lunt,  G.  C.  Cook,  and  J.  V.  Far- 
well,  and  in  the  Spring  of  1857,  as  times  were  pros- 
perous the  society  resolved  to  build  a more  com- 
modious edifice.  But  as  their  undertaking  was  to 
be  a stupendous  one  they  must  have  a man  with 
whom  there  could  be  no  risks.  They  sought  and 
obtained  William  M.  D.  Ryan,  from  the  Baltimore 
Conference,  who  built  the  Clark  Street  Church  in 
1845.  They  gave  their  pastor  a vacation  until  con- 
ference, and  set  Mr.  Ryan  at  work.  Procuring  a 
lot  across  the  block  from  where  their  small  church 
stood,  fronting  east  on  Wabash  Avenue  on  the  cor- 
ner of  the  Avenue  and  Harrison  Street,  they  un- 
dertook to  build  a sixty  thousand  dollar  church. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851, 


361 


The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  13,  1857.  The 
building  as  finished  was  seventy-five  by  ninety-five 
feet,  built  of  stone,  in  Gothic  style,  with  stained 
windows,  large  organ,  and  a basement  where  there 
was  every  convenience,  even  to  a kitchen  range 
with  table  fixtures  for  festal  purposes.  There  is 
below  the  most  richly  painted  and  lettered  Sunday- 
school  room  in  America.  There  is  also  a three- 
story  parsonage  in  the  rear.  This  gorgeous  temple 
of  God  was  dedicated  by  Dr.  Eddy,  December  13, 
1857.  The  church  was  finished,  but  the  crash 
of  November,  1857,  which  found  so  many  of  our 
church  building  schemes  unprepared  for  the  event, 
paralyzed  the  energies  of  the  members  and  left  the 
trustees  twenty  thousand  dollars  in  debt.  To  save 
the  church,  for  a year  or  two  the  trustees  applied 
the  pew  rent  on  the  debt-interest,  paying  the  pas- 
tor^s  salary  out  of  their  own  pockets. 

Mr.  Ryan  was  returned  in  1858.  In  March  he 
gave  place  to  William  Krebs,  another  Baltimore 
man,  and  he  in  March,  1860,  gave  place  to  Dr.  H. 
Cox,  who  remained  until  1862,  when  he  was  called 
to  a church  organizing  scheme  in  St.  Louis,  and  R. 
L.  Collier  called  from  Dubuque,  Iowa,  to  fill  his 
place.  In  1864,  through  the  tact  of  Brother  Col- 
lier, the  church  debt  was  cleared  off,  and  when  the 
conference  of  1864  convened  there  the  preachers 
were  greeted  by  a hearty,  cheerful  people.  Since 
Wabash  Avenue  Church  has  taken  first  rank  as 
contributor  of  missionary  money  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  report  its  doings.  We  have  no  report  at 
hand  until  1853,  when  the  amount  reported  was 


362 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


$15;  in  1854  it  was  $70;  in  1855,  $45;  in  1856, 
$50;  1857,  $100;  1858,  $28;  1859,  $55;  1860,  $60; 

1861,  $368;  1862,  $1,074;  1863,  $2,700;  1864, 
$2,500 ; Total,  $7,065.  The  largest  contributor  of 
the  time  is  the  Clark  Street  Church.  The  contri- 
butions of  this  Church  were  in  1853,  $675;  1854, 
$660;  1855,  $1,000;  1856,  $1,000;  1857,  $1,000; 
1858,  $500;  1859,  $450;  1860,  $225;  1861,  $520; 

1862,  $500;  1863,  $900;  1864,  $909 ; Total,  $8,339. 
And  be  it  remembered  both  societies  have  built 
new  churches  in  the  time.  Clark  Street  in  the 
early  day  received  perhaps  five  hundred  dollars  as 
help  from  the  Missionary  Society.  She  has  long 
since  repaid  that,  as  every  other  charge  worthy  of 
help  will.  These  two  Churches  named  above  owm 
more  church  property  than  any  other  societies  in 
the  conference.  Clark  Street  Church  claims  $170,- 
000  worth,  Wabash  Avenue,  $100,000  worth,  and 
Wabash  has  more  members  (1864)  than  any  other 
Church  in  the  conference  save  alone  Aurora ; Wa- 
bash having  two  hundred  and  eighty -six,  and  Au- 
rora three  hundred  and  thirty. 

The  St.  Charles  Circuit  in  1850  received  three 
preachers,  and  included  the  appointments  each  side 
Fox  River  to  Aurora.  In  1851  three  circuits  were 
formed  from  the  one.  Geneva  took  Batavia  and 
Footville,  Aurora  took  Big  Woods  and  Blackberry. 
Elihu  Springer,  when  on  the  Des  Plaines  Circuit, 
preached  at  Aurora  and  Batavia  in  1836.  William 
Royal  preached  at  Aurora  in  1835,  the  same  year 
the  town  was  laid  out  by  Samuel  McCarty.  In 
1836  a grist  mill  was  erected;  the  same  year  two 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


363 


school-houses  were  built^  one  on  each  side  of  the 
river.  There  was  quite  a village  in  1837.  W. 
Wilcox  formed  the  first  class  in  the  Fall  of  that 
year.  The  first  sermon  he  preached  there  was  some 
time  in  the  Spring  of  1837,  being  delivered  in  the 
house  of  Samuel  McCarty.  Afterwards  he  preached 
in  a small  school-house.  S.  McCarty  and  his  sister, 
with  a few  others,  formed  the  first  class.  The 
church  was  built  in  1843.  The  building  was  en- 
larged twenty  feet  in  1852,  and  as  much  more  in 
the  year  1864.  William  Wilmot  was  appointed  to 
the  work  in  1851,  and  J.  W.  Agard  in  1852.  This 
Fall  the  old  church  was  raised  up  and  enlarged,  and 
a good  stone  basement  put  underneath.  The  build- 
ing was  now  thirty-four  by  seventy,  and  was  re- 
opened February  27,  1853,  the  services  being  con- 
ducted by  John  Clark  and  James  E.  Wilson.  The 
cost  of  enlarging  was  two  thousand  eight  hundred 
dollars.  During  the  time  of  rebuilding  the  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  Congregational  Church.  Many 
thought  they  were  getting  too  large  a house,  but  at 
once  many  retired  for  want  of  room.  The  third 
evening  after  the  dedication  the  altar  would  not 
hold  one  half  the  penitents  that  offered  themselves 
for  prayer.  So  does  God  bless  with  his  benediction 
the  efforts  of  his  people.  Fifty  or  sixty  were  con- 
verted within  twenty-five  days.  The  Church  passed 
through  stormy  times  during  the  days  of  the  Naza- 
rite  Secession,  and  in  1862  lost  by  this  means  some 
who  had  been  efficient  members.  In  1864  twenty- 
four  more  feet  were  added  to  the  church,  at  a cost 
of  eighteen  hundred  dollars,  and  the  house  was  re- 


364 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


opened  December  18,  1864,  by  two  most  able  ser- 
mons delivered  by  Dr.  Raymond.  The  church  was 
now  thirty-four  feet  wide  and  ninety-four  feet  long, 
a strange  looking  affair  for  a city  like  Aurora,  which 
was  as  large  as  Rockford,  where  there  were  four 
fine  Methodist  churches. 

We  find  the  society  at  Aurora  in  1872  still  wor- 
shiping in  this  church,  which  was  sometimes  face- 
tiously called  the  Church  people^s  long  home.^^ 
The  shifts  that  were  made  to  make  the  early  small 
churches  do  for  awhile  were  often  curious.  The 
Clark  Street  Church,  Chicago,  was  twice  enlarged, 
so  that  the  original  building,  built  over  on  the  North 
Side,  formed  one-quarter  ot  the  old  frame  of  1845. 
The  walls  were  high  enough  for  the  small  building ; 
but  when  enlarged  to  about  fifty-two  by  seventy-six 
feet,  the  walls  were  so  low  in  proportion,  the  old 
church,  when  dimly  lighted  by  the  old  lard-oil 
lamps,  looked  like  a gloomy  cave.  At  Elgin  Sias 
Bolles  had  an  L run  out  to  the  right  of  the  pulpit, 
so  that  one-half  the  congregation,  while  able  to  see 
the  preacher,  could  not  see  the  other  half. 

But  at  length  a time  came  when  Aurora  Meth- 
odism arose  out  of  that  long  home,^^  and  erected 
the  present  beautiful  stone  edifice.  This  was  fin- 
ished under  the  pastorate  of  that  superb  man,  S.  A. 
W.  Jewett.  The  house  was  dedicated  by  Bishop 
W.  L.  Harris,  December  27,  1873  (?) ; text,  Isaiah 
xi,  9.  The  bishop  preached  in  the  morning  and  Dr. 
C.  H.  Fowler  in  the  evening.  The  whole  cost  had 
been  provided  for,  so  that  no  begging  was  done  on 
dedication  day.  This  chuYch  is  seventy-eight  by 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851. 


365 


one  hundred  and  eight,  with  spire  one  hundred  and 
sixty-five  feet  high,  and  cost  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
Six  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  was  given  by 
Miss  Jenny  Davis,  a daughter  of  Samuel  Davis, 
who  gave  two  hundred  barrels  of  lime  as  his  share 
toward  the  erection  of  the  Chicago  Clark  Street 
Church  in  1845.  Wyatt  Carr,  the  oldest  Aurora 
member,  aged  eighty-nine,  gave  six  thousand  dol- 
lars. A second  charge,  with  G.  G.  Lyon  as  pastor, 
was  organized  in  1858  on  the  West  Side,  which  re- 
ported sixty  members  and  a Sunday-school  with 
one  hundred  and  forty  scholars  in  1859.  A cheap 
affair  was  put  up  for  a church,  and  the  little  society 
seemed  to  prosper.  Mr.  Lyon  was  returned  in  1859, 
and  again  in  1860  by  some  hocus-pocus,  and  was 
succeeded  by  W.  P.  and  John  A.  Grey,  father  and 
son,  in  1861.  All  went  on  well  until  the  confer- 
ence of  1862,  when  the  society  was  disbanded  and 
all  united  again  in  the  old  church.  The  effort  was 
again  tried  in  1868,  and  in  1870  the  Galena  Street 
Church  was  built. 

Another  work  which  appeared  this  year  was 
called  Chicken  Gkove  Circuit,  after  a beautiful 
oasis  on  the  prairie  ten  miles  west  of  Elgin.  The 
south  end  of  the  grove  has  been  a rallying  point 
for  Methodism  ever  since  1837.  A class  was  organ- 
ized there  in  that  year  by  Stephen  Arnold,  the 
preacher  on  the  Sycamore  Circuit,  consisting  of  four 
members.  They  were  Elias  Crary,  wife,  and  daugh- 
ter, and  William  Kendall,  which  before  its  division 
in  1840  numbered  eighty-two  members.  Mr.  Crary’s 
log  house  was  known  far  and  wide  as  a preaching 


366 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


place,  and  as  the  home  of  Methodist  preachers.  At 
the  first  quarterly-meeting  held  there,  probably  in 
1839,  they  took  up  part  of  the  chamber  floor  and 
made  a gallery  sufficient  to  hold  thirty  or  forty  per- 
sons, and  frequently  when  two-days^  meetings  were 
held  the  floor  would  be  lined  with  sleepers,  each  one 
claiming  a board  as  his  share,  while  the  people  from 
a distance  stayed  all  night.  J.  W.  Whipple^s  first 
sermon  was  preached  in  this  house. 

In  1839  a class  made  up  mostly  of  members 
from  the  Crary  class  was  organized,  and  held  its 
meetings  at  the  log  house  of  Solomon  Ellis,  two 
miles  east  of  -Chicken  Grove.  This  was  also  a 
preaching  place.  In  this  house  the  writer  first  saw 
and  heard  a Methodist  preacher.  It  was  in  1839; 
the  preacher  was  J.  W.  Whipple.  Solomon  Ellis 
was  the  leader  of  this  class  until  1841,  when  he  was 
removed  and  Isaac  Hale  made  leader  in  his  place. 
There  were  great  revivals  all  through  those  parts 
from  1839  to  1841.  There  was  scarcely  a family 
but  most  of  its  members  made  a profession  of  re- 
ligion, and  at  times  the  class  became  very  large. 
In  1840  the  appointment  was  moved  to  the  Emick 
School-house,  now  Plato  Center,  three  miles  east  of 
Chicken  Grove.  The  preaching  was  held  here  for 
several  years  in  an  old  log  school-house,  now  used 
as  a blacksmith  shop,  where  we  attended  school  in 
1842.  On  Stephen  ArchePs  ground  a camp-meet- 
ing was  held  in  1841,  conducted  by  J.  T.  Mitchell, 
probably  exceeding  all  Fox  River  camp-meetings 
in  power.  At  the  conclusion  every  person  on  the 
ground  but  two  (George  Tucker  and  A.  D.  Field) 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  185L 


367 


joined  in  the  procession,  shaking  hands  with  each 
other  in  parting,  singing  as  they  marched,  I have 
a Father  in  the  promised  land,^^  which  was  the 
favorite  song  of  the  meeting. 

After  1841  many  troubles  came  over  the  Plato 
Methodist  Society.  Church  difficulties,  troubles 
about  fences,  and  whisky  were  the  bane  of  the 
Church.  About  1843  a Free  Will  Baptist  preacher 
(Father  Jenkins)  came  near  taking  the  country. 
Finally  an  appointment  was  established  at  North 
Plato,  at  Mr.  Templets,  which  was  for  many  years 
the  nucleus  of  Methodism  in  those  parts.  In  1848 
the  appointment  was  moved  to  the  Red  School- 
house  near  North  Plato  Church.  The  Baptists  had 
a society  there,  which  at  one  time  made  preparations 
for  building  a church,  but  their  society  dying  out 
the  Methodists  built  a church  in  1859.  The  first 
sermon  preached  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  church 
was  in  November,  1842,  in  Mr.  Joseph  Burdick’s 
cooper  shop  by  Isaac  Searles.  The  shop  stood  a 
quarter  of  a mile  north-west  of  the  church.  The 
occasion  was  this : In  the  Summer  of  1842  three 
young  men,  Thomas  Burnidge  and  Lorenzo  Mitchell, 
Baptists,  and Mann,  a Congregationalist,  who  at- 

tended meeting  in  Elgin  Sunday  mornings,  resolved 
to  commence  a prayer-meeting  in  their  own  neigh- 
borhood, five  miles  west  of  Elgin  at  four  o’clock 
Sunday  afternoon.  They  commenced  these  meetings 
in  the  new  log  house  of  Mr.  Hall.  It  was  busy 
August ; religion  was  low,  very  low.  There  was  no 
religious  influence  around  nearer  than  Elgin,  except 
the  dwindling  class  at  the  Emick  School-house. 


368 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


The  meeting  began  and  increased  in  interest.  The 
people  gathered  for  three  miles  around,  and  with- 
out any  preacher  there  began  to  be  conversions. 
A wicked  sailor,  Edward  Burnidge,  just  from  the 
ocean,  of  his  own  accord  made  a commencement 
towards  a religious  life.  He  was  very  zealous,  tak- 
ing hold  at  once  in  the  meetings.  After  a time 
they  began  to  hold  the  meetings  in  different  neigh- 
borhoods. At  one  of  these,  held  in  a house  of 
poplar  logs  belonging  to  Mr.  Mitchell,  the  present 
writer  made  a public  profession  of  religion.  A 
meeting  was  appointed  in  November,  to  be  held  in 
the  cooper  shop  above  mentioned.  The  day  of  the 
meeting  Isaac  Searles  came  along  on  a pastoral 
visiting  tour,  and  putting  up  for  the  night  was  in- 
vited to  preach.  A good  Baptist  sister  said  he 
preached  so  well  if  she  had  not  known  better  she 
should  have  taken  him  for  a Baptist  preacher.  J. 
W.  Whipple  was  the  first  Methodist  preacher  prob- 
ably who  preached  in  the  town  of  Plato. 

In  1851  all  the  eastern  portion  of  the  old  Syc- 
amore Circuit  was  set  off  into  what  for  fourteen 
years  was  the  Chicken  Grove  Circuit.  The  ap- 
pointments have  been  at  Canada  Corners,  Ohio 
Grove,  Sawyer  School-house,  Burlington,  North 
Plato,  and  Plato  Center.  There  has  been  for  sev- 
eral years  a parsonage  at  Canada  Corners.  A neat 
little  church  was  built  in  the  Summer  of  1859  at 
North  Plato,  which  was  dedicated  by  Dr.  Eddy, 
December  7,  1859.  The  church  cost  one  thousand 
and  eighty-two  dollars.  The  members  of  the  class 
at  the  time  were  Freeman  Temple  (leader),  Sabron 


CONFERENCES  OF  1850  AND  1851.  369 

Temple,  Polly  Rowly,  John  Reser,  William  Wait, 
Reuben  Tuck,  Helen  Tuck,  Lewis  Fletcher,  James 
Peck,  John  Wheeler,  Eliza  Wheeler,  Sarah  Bennett, 
Pardon  Tabor,  Sarah  Tabor,  and  E.  M.  Clark.  J. 
B.  Dodge  was  the  first  preacher.  Since  then  the 
Nazarites  have  done  much  injury,  but  the  circuit 
still  exists.  In  1864  it  still  reported  its  one  church. 
When  will  there  be  one  near  the  old  Crary  place 
to  keep  the  cradle  ground  in  memory? 


370 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPITER  XXIV. 

THE  CONFERENCES  OF  1852,  1853,  AND  1854. 

HE  Thirteenth  Session  of  the  Rock  River  Con- 


ference was  held  at  St.  Charles,  commencing 
September  15,  1852.  Bishop  Ames,  who  had  been 
elected  bishop  at  the  Boston  General  Conference  in 
May,  presided.  While  visiting  the  conference  as 
missionary  secretary  in  1843  he  had  presided  at  the 
opening  of  the  conference.  He  at  once  at  St. 
Charles  won  golden  opinions,  but  was  the  first 
bishop  we  had  had  who  would  in  the  course  of 
business  suggest  plans  to  be  taken.  He  had  ceased 
to  do  this  by  the  time  he  visited  the  conference  in 
1858.  His  address  to  the  class  of  deacons  was  only 
second  to  the  addresses  of  Bishop  Janes.  Many  a 
pithy  saying  does  he  get  off  in  these  simple  yet 
sublime  charges.  He  said  at  Waukegan,  If  per- 
chance you  get  appointed  to  a place  that  does  not 
please  you,  the  ^ great  iron  wheel  ^ that  set  you  down 
will  in  a year  take  you  up  and  roll  you  to  a better 
place;’’  and  at  St.  Charles,  Methodist  preachers 
can  know  that  they  will  always  have  work;  they 
are  not  like  those  ministers  out  of  employ,  who 
when  asked  why  they  are  not  at  work  for  God  have 
it  to  say,  ^Alas,  master,  no  man  hath  hired  us;”’  and. 
We  go  to  society  with  our  wives  and  children  as 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854.  371 

pledges  that  we  will  not  betray  those  societies  to 
whom  we  are  sent/^ 

On  Sunday  morning  the  bishop  preached  what 
we  have  heard  many  call  the  greatest  sermon  they 
ever  heard.  The  theme  was  the  testimony  concern- 
ing Jesus  in  Prophecy.  His  contrast  between  the 
^^Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah/^  and  the  ^^Lamb  of 
God^^  was  grand.  Both  characteristics  meeting  in 
Jesus  showed  the  grandeur  of  his  nature^  and  with 
the  description  the  preacher  carried  the  multitude 
away  with  a gust  of  weeping.  Such  men  as  Philo 
Judson  and  Luke  Hitchcock  wept  like  children. 
We  have  never  heard  a sermon  that  equaled  it  in 
pathetic  power. 

Among  the  new  ministers  received  this  year  were 
Daniel  W.  Linn,  a son  of  a Maine  Methodist, 
raised  at  Lee  Center,  educated  at  Mt.  Morris,  and 
a man  who  preaches  sermons  akin  to  those  of  Dr. 
Dempster,  obstructed  by  a rather  tedious  manner, 
and  who  on  account  of  feeble  health  does  not  show 
half  his  power ; Henry  L.  Martin,  born  of  Amer- 
ican parents  in  Canada,  and  raised  from  1837  at 
Light  House  Point,  also  educated  at  Mt.  Morris, 
kind,  affable,  and  social  in  manner,  and  zealous  in 
work,  which  he  shows  in  his  labors  as  conference 
missionary  treasurer,  he  has  just  begun  to  develop 
the  character  there  is  about  him ; and  Samuel  G. 
Havermale,  like  the  last  named,  one  of  three 
brothers  who  are  useful  Methodist  preachers,  who 
came  up  from  Canton  to  Rock  River  Seminary  in 
1847,  and  who  was  one  of  the  most  finished  preach- 
ers of  the  conference. 


372 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


John  Clark  came  West  this  year  from  Troy  Con- 
ference, whither  he  went  from  Texas  in  1844,  and 
was  appointed  to  Clark  Street  Church,  in  which 
appointment  he  was  still  serving  when  he  died  in 
1854.  David  Casseday  entered  the  work  again  after 
a year  or  two  of  location,  having  traveled  before 
in  the  bounds  of  the  Illinois  Conference.  E.  H. 
Gammon  was  readmitted  from  Maine,  and  was  sta- 
tioned at  St.  Charles.  He  afterwards  became  pre- 
siding elder,  and  still  lives  to  be  useful. 

The  new  appointments  constituted  were  Hickoey 
Creek,  where  there  had  been  preaching  from  the 
earliest  days,  and  which  until  1850  had  always  been 
in  the  Joliet  Circuit,  and  Channahon,  which  had 
previously  been  an  appointment  on  the  Wilmington 
Circuit.  A fine  church  was  built  at  Channahon  in 
1854  under  the  supervision  of  that  nervous  man. 
Dr.  A.  L.  Adams,  who  was  on  the  charge  that  year. 
It  was  dedicated  by  J.  W.  Flowers,  presiding  elder 
of  Joliet  District,  January  7,  1855. 

There  were  Lamoille,  taken  from  the  old  Prince- 
ton Circuit,  and  Rydot,  lying  midway  between 
Rockford  and  Freeport,  on  which  circuit  Pecatonica 
was  one  of  the  appointments ; and  Kingston, 
another  branch  of  the  old  Sycamore  Circuit,  it  be- 
ing the  western  portion  of  that  work,  including 
Genoa  and  Lee’s  Mill.  The  class  at  Lee’s  Mill 
was  one  of  the  earliest  formed  on  Sycamore  Circuit. 
In  1861,  under  the  supervision  of  C.  M.  Webster, 
^Ghe  irrepressible  church  builder,”  a church  was 
built  in  this  neighborhood,  and  dedicated  on  Sat- 
urday, the  22d  of  June,  by  Dr.  Eddy,  who  left 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


373 


A.  D.  Field  to  preach  in  the  afternoon  and  on  Sun- 
day. Sunday  morning  there  was  one  of  the  most 
precious  love-feasts  and  sacramental  occasions  the 
writer  ever  engaged  in.  The  text  on  Saturday 
afternoon  was  Nehemiah  vi,  2,  3;  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing 1 Timothy  iii,  16. 

There  was  also  Kaneville  Circuit,  named 
after  a pleasant  village  eight  miles  north-west  of 
Aurora.  There  was  preaching  in  a log  school- 
house  in  the  Sheets  neighborhood  as  early  as  1843. 
The  appointment  was  on  Little  Rock  Circuit  in 
1845,  as  was  Kaneville  afterwards.  A grout  church 
was  built  at  Kaneville  in  1849.  The  preaching 
and  class  was  removed  from  the  Sheets  neighbor- 
hood to  Kaneville  in  1846. 

Marengo,  one  of  our  rising  stations,  first  ap- 
peared on  the  list  in  1852.  William  Royal,  when 
on  Fox  River  Mission,  established  an  appointment 
at  Pleasant  Grove,  about  two  miles  south-west  of 
Marengo  in  1836.  The  appointment  was  the  next 
two  years  on  Sycamore  Circuit,  and  in  1839  it  went 
on  to  the  Crystal  Lake  Charge,  to  remain  until 
1852.  The  first  sermon  preached  near  the  place 
was  preached  by  a Presbyterian  preacher  in  the 
house  of  C.  Spencer,  in  March,  1836;  the  second 
was  delivered  the  next  day  by  Aratus  Kent,  from 
Galena,  to  the  family  of  Mr.  Spencer  and  three 
others.  Orson  P.  Rogers  was  one  of  the  three  out- 
siders. The  Methodist  class  was  organized  in  June, 
1837,  with  Albert  E.  Smith,  leader,  Asenath  Smith, 
Samuel  Smith,  Polly  Smith,  Eunice  Cobb,  Orson 
P.  Rogers,  and  Mary  Rogers  as  members.  Chester 


374 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Williams  joined  the  meeting.  The  preaching  in 
1836  was  at  the  house  of  A.  E.  Smith  two  or  three 
times,  then  was  held  at  J.  Rogers’s.  In  1838  and 
1839  the  preaching  was  at  O.  P.  Rogers’s  house, 
and  Warren  Blakesley  was  appointed  leader.  A 
Sunday-school  was  formed  in  1839  with  about 
twenty  scholars,  with  Philander  Ferry,  who  after- 
wards traveled  the  circuit,  for  superintendent.  The 
third  quarterly-meeting  for  Crystal  Lake  Circuit 
was  held  at  Pleasant  Grove,  commencing  March  6, 
1840,  when  the  class  reported  $12.50  as  quarterage 
raised  for  the  preacher.  The  class  paid  during  the 
year  $27.37.  In  1840  E.  G.  Wood  was  present 
from  Pleasant  Grove  as  leader.  The  appoint- 
ment was  quite  a prominent  one,  for  there  was 
a quarterly-meeting  held  there  nearly  every  year. 
A Sunday-school  was  reported  in  June,  1841,  with 
twenty-two  scholars.  At  a quarterly-meeting  held 
in  Coral,  November  20,  1847,  a committee,  consist- 
ing of  E.  G.  Wood,  Anson  Rogers,  and  Amos 
Boyce,  was  appointed  to  estimate  the  cost  of 
building  a meeting  house  at  Pleasant  Grove,”  but 
it  is  probable  that  they  did  not  accomplish  much. 
The  first  Methodist  preaching  in  Marengo  was  at 
the  house  of  Moses  Spencer  in  1839.  In  1852  the 
old  Crystal  Lake  Circuit  was  divided,  and  Marengo 
gave  name  to  a new  charge  having  appointments  at 
Marengo,  Cobb’s  School-house,  Coral,  Hampshire, 
East  Prairie,  Coon  Creek,  Shapley  School-house 
(Harmony),  and  Huntley’s  Grove.  The  first  quar- 
terly-meeting was  held  at  Coral,  December  14, 1852 ; 
present,  L.  Hitchcock,  presiding  elder;  L.  Ander- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


375 


son,  a supply,  preacher  in  charge;  Samuel  Richard- 
son, father  of  George  and  Holland  W. ; A.  Mc- 
Wright;  L.  C.  Anderson;  T.  Bingham;  P.  M. 
Frisby;  and  E.  G.  Wood,  local  preachers;  L.  Mor- 
gan and  O.  P.  Rogers,  stewards ; O.  Raymond,  J. 
B.  Lawshe,  Samuel  R.  Morris,  E.  J.  Rogers,  J.  W. 
Skinner,  P.  Stevens,  and  N.  Norton,  leaders.  There 
Avere  eleven  local  preachers  in  all  on  the  work. 
Besides  those  named  there  were  Robert  Beatty, 
Brother  Thomson,  R.  Williams,  Isaac  Vincent,  and 
J.  E.  Dow. 

The  second  quarterly-meeting  was  at  the  Cobb 
School-house,  February  12,  1853;  the  third  was  at 
Huntley^s  Station,  April  30,  1853,  and  the  fourth  at 
East  Prairie,  near  Robert  Beatty^s,  August  13th. 
L.  Anderson,  who  had  been  a member  of  the 
Oneida  Conference,  and  who  supplied  the  work  this 
year,  was  recommended  for  readmission,  and  was  re- 
turned to  the  work  the  next  year.  In  1854  A.  B. 
Call,  now  a Universalist,  was  assistant  preacher,  and 
in  1855  W.  D.  Skelton  was  employed.  Union  ap- 
peared as  an  appointment  on  the  circuit  in  1856. 
At  a quarterly-meeting  held  at  Harmony  Church 
in  J uly,  1*856,  a vote  was  passed  recommending  the 
division  of  the  work.  Marengo  took  Coral,  Union, 
and  Burr  Oak,  six  miles  north  of  Marengo,  and 
Marengo  began  that  year  its  career  as  a half  station, 
with  J.  P.  Vance  as  preacher.  The  first  quarterly- 
meeting  was  at  Marengo,  October  4,  1856.  G.  L. 
Stuff,  presiding  elder,  J.  P.  Vance,  pastor,  A.  Boyce, 
E.  G.  Wood,  N.  C.  Gardiner,  J.  Clark,  S.  R.  Mar- 
shall, M.  L.  Hart,  A.  C.  Langworthy,  G.  W.  Pullen, 


376 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


P.  M.  Frisby,  and  E.  J.  Rogers  were  present.  John 
Lewis,  Isaac  Hicks,  Anson  Rogers,  P.  W.  Deats, 
Alden  Jewett,  and  O.  P.  Rogers  were  elected  stew- 
ards. They  allowed  their  preacher  five  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars.  The  first  three  quarterly-meet- 
ings were  held  at  Marengo,  the  last  one  at  a school- 
house  in  Union.  Henry  Knowles  and  David  Barrou 
appeared  as  leaders  in  1858.  The  church  was  com- 
menced in  1856,  and  was  dedicated  March  27,  1855, 
by  John  Dempster.  In  1858  the  Marengo  Society 
met  with  a great  affliction,  being  compelled  to  bring 
their  preacher,  J.  P.  Vance,  to  trial  for  drinking 
beer  to  intoxication. 

At  a quarterly-meeting  held  at  Marengo,  Janu- 
ary 8,  1859,  nine  dollars  was  reported  from  Mrs. 
Aurelia  Coon^s  class.  She  was  a regular  leader, 
and  the  third  quarterly -meeting  she  was  reported 
as  one  of  the  members  present  at  the  conference. 
Dr.  Redfield  held  a revival  meeting  at  Marengo  in 
1857,  and  this  arrangement  was  a direct  outgrowth 
of  Nazarite  influence.  Mrs.  Coon  was  the  most 
prominent  leader  in  the  Church  for  a year  or  two, 
and  in  the  end  she  led  her  class  into  wild  ways  that 
ended,  as  far  as  Church  relation  was  concerned,  in 
a Nazarite  secession  in  1861.  In  June,  1859,  E.  P. 
Hart  was  recommended  to  the  Rock  River  Confer- 
ence, and  was  received  in  September  as  a member, 
at  the  very  time  he  was  holding  a meeting  with  Dr. 
Redfield  at  Queen  Ann.  All  the  Nazarite  forces 
were  at  work  while  the  preachers  were  at  confer- 
ence that  year.  E.  P.  Hart,  at  the  close  of  the  first 
year,  went  to  the  Free  Methodists,  and  has  since 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


377 


been  one  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  their 
conference.  We  have  little  more  to  say  of  Marengo 
except  that  the  Church  there  has  had  general  pros- 
perity, growing  gradually  into  one  of  the  most 
pleasant  charges  in  the  conference.  Nearly  all  the 
old  names,  however,  are  found  on  the  Free  Metho- 
dist records.  Instead  of  working  away  in  the  old 
Church,  which  the  Lord  still  deigns  to  bless,  they 
are  (1865)  striving  to  work  an  opposition  move. 
Marengo  in  1864  had  about  two  hundred  members,  a 
church  worth  three  thousand  dollars,  a parsonage 
worth  one  thousand  dollars,  and  a Sunday-school 
with  one  hundred  and  seventy  scholars. 

Big  Foot  appeared  this  year  to  remain  perma- 
nently. It  had  been  the  year  before  included  in 
Chemung  Circuit,  but  was  this  year  set  off  with 
Alden  as  a circuit.  There  had  been  as  early  as 
1844  a Big  Foot  Circuit,  but  in  the  division  of  the 
conference  in  1848  the  work  became  disintegrated. 
An  appointment  was  established  between  Big  Foot 
and  Alden  in  1839  by  L.  S.  Walker.  A church 
was  built  at  Big  Foot  Corners  probably  in  1842, 
which  remained  an  old  uncouth  thing  until  1863. 
It  was  a curious  affair  that  might  have  been  sold 
to  Barnum. 

In  1863  G.  J.  Bliss  set  about  building  a new 
church  there,  which  when  completed  in  the  Fall  of 
1863  was  one  of  the  most  convenient  churches  in 
the  conference.  Within  its  walls  gathered  mem- 
bers of  one  of  the  best  societies  in  the  confer- 
ence. The  society  at  Alden,  which  was  very 

feeble,  worshiped  in  school-houses  until  1862. 

32 


378 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


During  the  Winter  of  that  year,  under  the  lead  of 
that  devoted  and  zealous  man,  Dr.  Reynolds,  there 
was  a revival  there  which  resulted  in  the  conversion 
of  near  a hundred  souls.  The  society  being  thus 
increased  they  set  about  building  a church.  The 
frame  was  put  up  and  partly  inclosed  when  a storm 
laid  it  level  with  the  ground.  The  trustees  had 
been  making  every  effort,  and  were  now  about  to 
give  up  the  scheme  as  a failure.  But  excursions 
were  in  fashion,  and  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers, in  which  were  the  friends  of  people  living 
all  along  the  railroad,  was  camped  at  Rockford,  and 
Brother  Reynolds,  with  the  Alden  people,  set  about 
getting  up  an  excursion  to  the  camp  of  the  Ninety- 
fifth.  The  railroad  played  them  some  kind  of  a 
trick,  and  the  train  came  on  with  box  grain  cars. 
The  people  took  the  matter  as  a joke,  and  piled  in, 
filling  eighteen  cars.  The  proceeds  were  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  which  enabled  the  trustees  to  go  on 
and  build.  The  church  being  completed  was  ded- 
icated by  R.  L.  Collier,  from  Chicago,  January  14, 
1863.  Collier  preached  in  the  morning  and  dedi- 
cated the  church,  and  the  present  writer  followed 
with  a sermon  in  the  evening  on  Nehemiah’s  re- 
building the  wall  of  Jerusalem. 

At  the  conference  at  St.  Charles  in  1852  we  were 
permitted  to  behold  a new  and  novel  sight.  It  was 
the  appearance  of  twenty  German  preachers,  led  by 
their  two  German  presiding  elders,  John  Plank, 
who  had  been  the  tavern-keeper,  and  had  given 
name  to  Dutchman’s  Point,  ten  miles  north  of  Chi- 
cago, and  George  L.  Mulfinger,  a dignified  and 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852--1854. 


379 


learned  German.  They  were  in  appearance  like  the 
early  Methodist  preachers,  and  their  simplicity  in 
our  love-feasts  and  the  aptness  of  their  Dutch  ex- 
perience set  us  Americans  on  fire.  These  new  re- 
cruits were  at  once  a rich  element  in  our  conference 
meetings. 

Among  the  friends  of  Asbury  was  Otterbein, 
who  raised  up  a Church  called  United  Brethren, 
which  gathered  in  the  Germans,  as  Asbury  and  his 
coadjutors  gathered  in  the  Americans.  This  Church 
after  a time  became  almost  entirely  English.  In 
the  beginning  of  this  century  the  Methodists  had 
another  opportunity  to  engage  in  the  German  work. 
A Pennsylvania  German,  Jacob  Albrecht  by  name, 
was  converted,  and  at  once  began  to  preach  among 
his  countrymen.  He  desired  to  form  societies  ex- 
clusively of  Germans,  but  the  authorities  of  the 
Church  considered  this  inexpedient,  thinking  the 
German  language  would  soon  go  out  of  use  in  this 
country.  Not  obtaining  the  desired  liberty  the 
zealous  preacher  became  the  founder  of  a separate 
organization,  called  The  Evangelical  Association,^^ 
or  Albrights.  This  Church,  like  the  United  Breth- 
ren, finds  that  as  their  children  learn  English,  the 
Church  itself  is  fast  becoming  an  American  one. 

At  length  William  Nast,  a fellow  student  with 
the  infidel  Strauss  in  a German  university,  and 
himself,  though  a theological  student,  an  infidel, 
came  over  to  this  country.  Here  he  began  to  teach 
the  German  language  and  literature.  After  a time 
he  became  awakened  to  a sense  of  his  lost  condi- 
tion, and  wandered  in  despair  a year  or  two  seeking 


380 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


rest  but  finding  none.  After  a long  wilderness 
journey  he  entered  the  Canaan  of  the  people  of 
God  a happy  child  of  the  heavenly  king.  Soon  his 
friends,  among  whom  Adam  Poe  was  most  active, 
urged  the  Ohio  Conference  to  appoint  him  as  mis- 
sionary to  the  Germans  of  this  country.  He  began 
his  work  in  1835,  and  was  admitted  to  conference 
the  same  year,  and  in  1838  he  reported  twenty-two 
members  from  his  Cincinnati  Mission.  The  work 
went  on  without  cessation  until  in  1864  there  was 
an  army  of  German  Methodists.  The  reports  which 
follow  include  merely  the  German  societies  in  the 
United  States,  who  with  their  conferences,  and  dis- 
tricts, and  circuits  carry  on  their  work  precisely  as 
the  American  Methodists  do. 

The  mission  in  Cincinnati  gradually  spread  until 
there  were  at  first  formed  circuits,  and  then  districts 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  with  German  presiding 
elders.  Previous  to  1864  two  or  three  of  these 
districts  were  attached  to  a conference,  in  which  the 
German  preachers  would  act  with  all  the  privileges 
of  the  American  preachers.  The  General  Confer- 
ence of  May,  1852,  attached  the  Iowa  and  Wiscon- 
sin German  Districts  to  the  Rock  River  Conference, 
and  in  September  of  that  year  many  of  us  made  the 
acquaintance  of  these  energetic  men  of  God  for  the 
first  time.  These  districts  had  for  years  before  been 
attached  to  the  Illinois  Conference.  There  came 
into  connection  with  us  nineteen  German  circuits. 
Of  these  only  North  Chicago,  where  a church  was 
commenced  in  1848,  South  Chicago,  Cook,  and 
Wheeling  were  in  our  bounds.  The  first  German 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


381 


appointment  appeared  in  the  bounds  of  the  Rock 
River  Conference  in  1847.  Quincy  District^  L.  S. 
Jacoby  (our  first  missionary  to  Germany),  P.  E.;  . . . 
Chicago,  Philip  Barth;  Galena,  Henry  Nuelson.^^ 
In  1849  Cook  Mission  appeared,  and  in  1851 
Wheeling  appeared.  In  1852  there  were  three 
hundred  German  members  in  our  bounds,  as  fol- 
lows: Chicago,  eighty-two;  Cook,  ninety;  Wheel- 
ing, fifty;  Galena,  eighty.  The  Albrights  built  a 
church  in  Chicago  in  1843. 

The  German  preachers  continued  to  meet  with 
the  Rock  River  Conference  until  1864 — twelve 
years  of  harmonious  connection.  At  the  General 
Conference  of  that  year  three  German  conferences 
were  ordered,  and  all  our  German  preachers  left  us 
to  meet  in  their  own  Northwestern  German  Confer- 
ence. This  body  held  its  first  session  successfully 
at  Galena  in  1864.  The  German  Churches  of  Chi- 
cago form  an  interesting  feature  of  Methodism  in 
the  great  city.  In  South  Chicago  they  have  been 
quite  fortunate.  In  1853  they  raised  by  great  ex- 
ertion means  to  buy  property  and  build  a church  on 
Van  Buren  Street.  The  neighborhood  was  then  a 
poor  one,  and  property  was  cheap.  In  1857  the 
Rock  Island  Railway  established  its  depot  there, 
purchasing  at  a large  advance  the  German  church 
property.  This  helped  them  out  of  debt,  and  gave 
them  means  to  rebuild  at  their  convenience.  Hav- 
ing twenty  or  thirty  German  preachers  in  connec- 
tion, the  conference  always  made  it  a point  to  send 
one  German  delegate  to  General  Conference.  G. 
L.  Mulfinger  was  chosen  the  three  times  delegates 


382 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


were  elected.  The  preachers  speaking  broken 
English  never  took  an  active  part  in  the  conference, 
but  there  were  some  active  men  among  them.  John 
Plank,  G.  L.  Mulfinger,  and  Frederick  Schuler  will 
be  long  remembered  by  their  English  brethren. 

The  conference  in  1853  assembled  again  at  Chi- 
cago. It  was  the  third  time  the  body  had  met  there. 
Bishop  Scott  presided.  The  sessions  were  held  in 
the  basement  of  the  brick  church  William  M.  D. 
Ryan  built  in  1845,  and  we  were  cared  for  by  John 
Clark,  who  was  now  filling  the  charge.  The  ses- 
sion was  the  longest  we  had  had  for  years,  the  con- 
ference not  adjourning  until  late  Wednesday  evening. 
It  was  due  in  part  to  the  rather  slow  way  in  which 
the  business  was  conducted,  and  partly  to  the  fact 
that  there  were  many  ^distinguished  guests  pres- 
ent who  claimed  the  privilege  of  addressing  the 
conference.  The  time  occupied  by  such  addresses 
amounted  to  more  than  one  whole  session.  We  had 
an  address  from  J.  V.  Watson,  concerning  the 
Northwestern,  from  Dr.  D.  W.  Clark  concerning  the 
Repository,  from  Joseph  Holdich  concerning  the 
Bible  Society,  from  Dr.  Henry  Slicer  concerning 
that  scheme,  the  Metropolitan  Church  at  Washing- 
ton, and  an  address  from  Abel  Stevens  concerning 
his  grand  Tract  Cause  scheme,  and  we  had  nearly 
said,  from  the  Country  Parson,^^  concerning  bores.^^ 
The  address  of  Stevens  was  worth  going  miles  to 
hear.  Just  then,  by  cheap  publications,  Stevens  and 
kindred  spirits  were  to  work  a revolution  in  our 
book  publishing  interests.  A tract  agent  was  to  be 
appointed  in  each  conference  to  set  colporteurs  at 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852^1854. 


383 


work,  and  a grand  scheme  of  book  circulation  was 
to  be  introduced.  Abel  Stevens  in  some  measure 
was  author  of  the  scheme  and  secretary  of  the 
Tract  Society.  He  went  through  the  country  in 
1852  and  1853,  visiting  the  conferences,  like  a flame 
of  light,  electrifying  the  people.  He  made  speeches 
that  won  a national  fame.  One  of  these  he  gave 
the  conference  at  Chicago.  It  was  a mixture  of 
eloquence,  poetry,  pith,  fire.  There  was  a tract 
meeting  in  the  evening.  J.  V.  Watson  opened  the 
way  in  a short  speech.  Dr.  Stevens  followed,  but 
the  ringing  of  fire  bells  put  him  out  of  time,  and 
this,  which  was  to  be  his  great  speech,  was  rather  a 
failure;  it  was  a fine  afiair,  however.  Abel  Stevens 
was  a small  man,  standing  on  spindle  legs,  with 
slender  body  which  bore  up  a massive  Websterian 
head,  from  which  sparkled  dark  lustrous  eyes.  He 
carried  the  great  orator^s  action  a little  too  far. 
Mr.  Ryan  exerted  himself  bodily,  and  pounded  the 
Bible  lustily,  but  Dr.  Stevens  sprung  about  the 
platform  with  actual  leaps.  He  was  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  energy.  Dr.  D.  W.  Clark  (bishop 
after)  preached  on  Sunday  a very  chaste  sermon  on 
the  Shadows  of  Death.  The  minutes — a mere  ab- 
stract— of  this  conference  were  published,  being  the 
first  publication  of  the  kind  ordered  by  the  confer- 
ence. Ever  since  the  published  register  has  been 
growing  neater  and  fuller.  The  copy  for  1885  is 
almost  perfect,  being  a volume  of  pamphlet  form  of 
sixty  pages.  The  first  contained  twenty  small  pages. 
The  conference  in  1853  had  just  the  same  number 
of  members  it  had  in  1864,  after  the  detaching  of 


384 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  Central  Illinois  and  the  German  Conference. 
John  T.  Mitchell  was  at  the  Chicago  Conference  on 
a visit,  John  Clark  was  the  Clark  Street  pastor  who 
cared  for  the  conference.  It  was  the  last  time 
either  of  these  early  preachers  and  presiding  elders 
of  the  conference  ever  beheld  the  old  body  in  ses- 
sion. John  Clark  went  to  the  land  of  the  departed 
ere  the  conference  met  again,  and  John  T.  Mitchell 
never  revisited  the  body.  Few  of  the  persons  re- 
ceived on  trial  at  the  conference  of  1853  have  ever 
taken  any  very  active  part  in  labors  in  the  bounds 
of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  Among  those  who 
have  labored  here  were  Thomas  Cochran,  who, 
faithful  to  his  work,  has  had  considerable  success  in 
the  ministry,  enjoying  many  good  revivals ; Robert 
Wright  and  Jacob  Hartman,  an  efficient  Sun- 
day-school man,  and  one  whose  highest  point  on 
the  scale  of  usefulness  is  not  yet  reached — the  tasty 
secretary  of  Sunday-school  matters  in  the  conference ; 
Lewis  Anderson,  who  had  traveled  many  years  in 
the  Oneida  Conference  was  readmitted.  He  was 
for  years  one  of  the  most  faithful  laborers  in  the 
conference,  setting  the  Churches  in  order.  A.  E. 
Phelps  and  Absalom  Wooliscroft  had  died. 

The  new  appointments  that  appeared  this  year 
were  Owen  Street,  Chicago,  since  changed  to 
West  Indiana  Street,  and  then  to  Ada  Street.  The 
society  was  a colony  from  Jefferson  Street  Church. 
Ceintonville,  where  for  a year  or  t^vo  the  Meth- 
odists strove  to  establish  a society,  but  which  finally 
the  Free  Methodists  took,  it  being  the  only  place 
where  they  established  a society  by  members  taken 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854, 


385 


by  conversion  from  the  world,  and  Crane  Grove, 
whose  appointments  in  1859  passed  into  the  For- 
reston  Circuit. 

F.  A.  Reed  was  at  Rockford  in  1851,  and  during 
his  first  year  two  lots  were  procured  on  the  West 
Side  for  church  purposes,  and  afterwards  exchanged 
for  the  lots  where  Court  Street  Church  now 
stands.  A board  of  trustees  was  elected,  who  pro- 
ceeded to  raise  a subscription  for  building  a church. 
At  the  last  quarterly-meeting  of  the  year  ending  in 
1853  a society  was  organized,  who  asked  for  a 
preacher.  L.  Chatfield,  just  from  Michigan,  was 
sent  to  the  infant  Church.  He  commenced  preach- 
ing in  a hall  on  State  Street,  but  before  the  year 
was  over  he  resigned  his  pastorate  and  returned  to 
Michigan.  William  Tasker,  the  East  Side  preacher, 
took  charge  of  the  society.  In  1854  W.  F.  Stewart, 
that  ardent  worker,  beloved  by  all,  was  appointed 
to  the  charge,  for  though  the  members  were  cast 
down  they  were  not  destroyed.  On  going  to  his 
work  Mr.  Stewart  found  a church  costing  seven 
thousand  dollars  nearly  completed,  which  was  ded- 
icated by  Hooper  Crews  October  26,  1854.  The 
text  was.  Exodus  xx,  24:  ^^In  all  places  where  I 
record  my  name,  I will  come  unto  thee  and  I will 
bless  thee.^’  The  discourse  was  in  Brother  Crews’s 
own  peculiarly  dignified,  impressive,  devotional 
style.  Sias  Bolles  exhorted,  and  in  a few  minutes 
raised  in  cash  and  subscriptions  the  seven  hundred 
dollars  needed  to  meet  indebtedness.  The  house 
on  completion  was  the  largest  and  best  in  the  city, 
and  the  new  society  soon  went  ahead  of  the  old 
33 


386 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  venerable  mother  Church  in  every  thing  that 
makes  a Church  efficient.  The  society  was  less  than 
one  hundred,  but  during  the  Winter,  after  the 
church  was  opened,  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
joined  the  society.  At  the  conference  of  1854  one 
hundred  and  eleven  members  and  a Sunday-school 
with  fifty  scholars  were  reported.  In  1864,  at  the 
end  of  a decade,  that  report  had  swelled  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  members,  a church  worth 
seven  thousand  dollars,  and  four  hundred  and  thirty 
dollars  for  the  mission  society,  with  a Sunday-school 
numbering  two  hundred  and  fifty  members.  The 
best  preachers  of  the  conference  have  been  sent  to 
the  charge,  and  altogether  it  is  one  of  the  most  de- 
sirable points  in  the  conference.  It  has  the  honor 
of  being  the  first  permanent  second  charge  in  any 
place  outside  of  Chicago.  J.  H.  Vincent  was  ap- 
pointed to  this  church  in  1861,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  his  year  in  Palestine,  served  the  Church 
until  1864.  During  this  three  years  eighteen  of 
the  faithful  band,  eight  of  whom  were  soldiers, 
passed  away  from  the  Church  below,  as  is  hoped, 
to  the  Church  above.  They  were,  M.  A.  Haviland, 
James  Benson,  William  Pelton,  Harriet  Nichols, 
John  Travis,  William  Miller,  Celia  Hicks,  Asahel 
Douglas,  Mary  J.  Spooner,  Arlin  Raymond,  Michael 
M.  Kesler,  Amasa  M.  Corbin,  Lydia  Hitchcock, 
Mary  Jolers,  Silena  Woodruff,  William  Welch, 
George  R.  Higley,  and  John  McKinley. 

Byeon  is  one  of  those  early  and  old  towns  on 
Rock  River  for  years  far  from  the  railways,  which 
as  an  appointment  has  been  shifted  about  from  pil- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


387 


lar  to  post.  It  became  a preaching  point  on  the 
Buffalo  Grove  Circuit  as  early  as  1837,  and  from 
1843  to  1853  was  a point  on  the  Mt.  Morris  Cir- 
cuit. Sometimes  since  then  it  has  been  on  the  Leaf 
River  work,  and  sometimes  the  head-quarters  of  a 
circuit.  A class  was  organized  at  the  house  of 
Erastus  Norton  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  a 
short  distance  above  Byron,  in  January,  1837,  by 
James  McKean.  Byron  was  then  called  Blooming- 
ville.  The  names  of  the  honored  members  of  this, 
one  of  the  first  classes  on  Rock  River,  were,  David 
Juvenal  (leader),  Mrs.  Juvenal,  Erastus  Norton  and 
Nancy  Norton,  his  wife,  Eliza  Shepherd,  Rev. 
Chester  Campbell  and  wife.  Rev.  Alexander  Irvine 
(father  of  Wm.  R.  Irvine),  and  Mrs.  Irvine.  A 
class  was  organized  at  Buffalo  Grove  in  March, 
1836,  and  at  Rockford  in  September,  1836,  and  a 
log  chapel  was  built  at  Washington  Grove  the  same 
year,  so  that  the  Byron  class  was  probably  the 
fourth  in  the  Rock  River  country.  This  class  near 
Byron  has  been  the  alma  mater  of  many  others.  It 
was  the  central  point  from  which  Methodism  was 
spread  for  miles  around.  A frame  church,  costing 
three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  was  dedicated 
at  Byron  by  F.  P.  Cleveland,  December  28,  1882. 

Albany  Circuit,  which  made  its  first  appear- 
ance in  1853,  was  formed  by  a division  of  the 
Union  Grove  Circuit,  and  embraced  then  all  the 
country  between  Albany  and  Erie.  The  appoint- 
ments in  1857  were  at  Albany;  at  Newton,  a small 
church  two  miles  east  of  Albany;  Kingsbury  Grove, 
where  from  an  early  day  there  has  been  a large 


388 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


company  of  old-style  Methodists,  and  where,  in 
1854,  there  was  a glorious  revival ; at  Erie,  a small 
town  on  Rock  River,  twelve  miles  east  of  Albany. 
Philo  Judson,  when  on  the  Savannah  Circuit  in 
1840,  established  the  first  regular  appointment  at 
Albany,  which  is  a large  old  town  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, built  on  gently  receding  terraces  of  the  bluffs 
of  the  river.  There  had  been  preaching  frequently, 
as  at  most  other  places,  by  local  preachers,  but  no 
regular  appointment  until  Mr.  Judson  organized 
the  first  class  there.  In  1856  an  old  school-house 
was  purchased,  and  in  1858  fitted  up  for  church 
purposes.  In  1859,  when  Z.  S.  Kellogg  was  on 
the  circuit,  there  was  the  most  sweeping  revival  at 
Albany  and  Garden  Prairie  ever  known  in  that 
country.  Albany  was  enveloped  in  a flame  of  re- 
ligious emotion.  From  the  rich  banker  to  the  poor 
boatman  the  people  were  found  kneeling  at  the 
altar  for  prayer.  The  history  of  the  tornado  of 
1860  is  known  to  the  world.  It  commenced  its 
course  in  June  on  the  Clinton  Railway  at  Tipton, 
sweeping  along  over  Dewitt  to  the  river.  Trees 
were  torn  up,  cattle  were  wafted  in  the  air  like 
feathers,  and  the  very  earth  was  raked  as  with  huge 
harrows.  Camanche,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river 
two  miles  from  Albany,  was  laid  in  ruins,  and  cross- 
ing the  river  the  cyclone  encountered  a huge  raft  of 
pine  logs  which  was  torn  into  drifting  logs,  and  some 
of  the  men  drowned.  It  passed  over  Albany,  crush- 
ing houses  and  killing  several  people,  and  then 
swept  on  over  the  prairies  and  farms  by  Lee  Center 
on  to  the  east.  It  wiped  one  of  the  Twin  Groves 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-185^, 


389 


entirely  out.  In  its  route  it  took  people  from  their 
beds,  and  wafting  them  over  houses  and  trees  set 
many  of  them  gently  down,  while  others  it  killed, 
dashing  them  against  the  trees.  One  man  near  Lee 
Center  took  a child  under  each  arm  and  sought  to 
go  into  the  cellar.  He  was  too  late  for  that,  and 
when  the  house  was  swept  from  its  foundations  he 
was  taken  up  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  and  whirled 
circling  around  above  the  locust  trees  in  a wild 
night  ride,  and  set  down  gently  without  injury  to 
either  himself  or  the  children.  Such  were  the  weird 
fantasies  and  curious  tricks  of  disaster  played  by 
this  most  terrible  enginery  of  nature.  At  Albany, 
among  other  disasters,  the  tornado  swept  away  the 
humble  place  of  worship  used  by  the  Methodists, 
and  laid  their  pleasant  brick  parsonage  on  the  hill 
into  a heap  of  rubbish.  Mrs.  Kellogg,  the  preacher^s 
wife,  with  three  or  four  children  was  alone  in  the 
house.  Her  husband  had  an  appointment  at  Garden 
I^lain,  three  miles  away,  that  evening.  She  was  in 
the  bedroom  with  her  children  preparing  to  retire. 
When  the  windows  commenced  to  crash  Mrs.  Kel- 
logg sprung  with  her  little  ones  into  a large  iron- 
bound  moving  box.  In  this  fortunate  place  of 
refuge,  safe  from  the  tempest,  happy  in  God,  she 
was  buried  in  the  heaps.  Those  who  went  to  the 
place  as  soon  as  the  storm  was  over  found  all  as 
still  as  death.  Brother  Kellogg  started  at  once  on 
foot  for  home  at  eight  o^clock,  but  found  the  road 
so  filled  with  fallen  trees  he  was  until  twelve  at 
night  reaching  home.  S.  A.  W.  Jewett,  the  pre-^ 
siding  elder  of  the  district,  went  East  for  help,  and 


390 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


by  this  and  other  means  the  Methodists  were  enabled 
to  rear  a pleasant  house  of  worship^  restoring  their 
pleasant  places  laid  waste. 

There  is  a fine  church  at  Garden  Plain.  Its 
origin  involves  a chain  of  causes.  On  this  prairie 
where  the  church  stands  there  was  no  preaching- in 
1858.  A few  members  of  the  Methodist  Church 
were  scattered  here  and  there  who  went  three  miles 
to  meetings.  On  the  prairie,  six  miles  from  Al- 
bany, lived  in  1857  a Pennsylvanian,  a farmer  well- 
off  in  worldly  goods.  Himself  and  family  never 
went  to  church.  Charles  W.  Brewer,  who  after- 
wards became  a member  of  the  Upper  Iowa  Confer- 
ence, went  out  to  spend  a week  or  two  painting  the 

new  house  this  Mr.  S was  building.  He  found 

there  a very  intelligent  boy  of  seventeen,  a son  of 

Mr.  S , who  was  studious  and  thoughtful.  By 

private  conversation  Charles  led  Willie  S to 

Christ.  He  joined  the  Church  at  a two  days^  meet- 
ing held  by  the  writer  at  Newton  in  1857,  and  at 
once  began  to  attend  class-meeting  in  what  was 
called  the  Minta  School-house.  The  father  noticed 
Willie^s  course  for  a long  time,  and  at  length,  in  the 
Fall  of  1858,  went  to  class-meeting  to  see  what  kind 
of  a place  it  was.  He  was  struck  with  conviction, 
and  was  soon  converted.  A revival,  widespread 
and  powerful,  followed,  and  so  great  was  the  num- 
ber of  new  recruits  there  was  not  room  for  them  in 
the  school-house,  so  that  in  1859  they  were  obliged 
to  build  a church. 

At  Erie  in  1857  and  1859  there  were  the  most 
powerful  revivals  we  have  ever  been  engaged  in. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854, 


391 


The  meeting  of  1857  went  on  for  a week  before 
any  one  ventured  forward.  Then  an  influential 
young  man  led  the  way,  and  many  were  forward 
every  night.  At  one  of  the  first  speaking  meetings 
the  young  man  arose  and  delivered  a very  curious 
speech.  ^^He  was  striving/^  he  said,  ^^to  assimilate 
himself  into  the  character  of  God.^^  We  learned 
afterwards  that  he  had  his  talk  written  out  on 
paper  in  his  pocket,  and  had  read  it  to  his  fellow 
students  at  school.  He  at  once  retired  from  the 
meetings,  and  has  since  become  a talented  lawyer. 
He  set  the  meeting  in  motion  by  leading  the  way, 
but  whether  he  was  sincere  or  not,  or  what  were 
his  real  purposes,  we  do  not  know  until  this  day. 
And  curiously  enough  at  the  meeting  held  in  1859 
a very  intelligent  literary  young  lady  was  the  first 
to  go  forward,  who  after  being  forward  one  or  two 
evenings  retired  among  the  crowd  on  the  back 
seats,  and  in  a few  months  married  the  curious 
genius  who  had  led  the  way  two  years  before.  The 
last  we  knew  of  that  lawyer  and  his  wife  they  were 
still  not  professors  of  religion.  But  we  shall  ever 
give  them  credit  for  leading  the  way  in  two  of  the 
most  successful  meetings  we  ever  held.  During  the 
second  meeting  at  Erie  a poor  street  drunkard  came 
evenings,  creeping  behind  the  desk  among  the  crowd 
to  hide  his  tattered  garments.  One  evening,  when 
asked  if  he  did  not  wish  to  become  religious,  he 
answered  that  he  was  too  bad.  At  last  he  ventured 
forward,  and  was  happily  converted.  We  found  his 
family  in  a slab  shed,  through  whose  cracks  you 
could  at  night  count  the  stars.  The  people  rallied 


392 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


to  the  family^s  help,  and  this  man  became  a thriv- 
ing prosperous  Christian.  Albany  Circuit  still  con- 
tinues to  stand  as  a specimen  of  old-time  circuits. 
At  last  a railroad  came  and  the  Church  became 
permanent. 

Kankakee  City  Mission  began  its  existence 
in  1853.  The  site  of  the  town,  covered  all  the  time 
with  thick  woods,  had  been  for  years  in  the  bounds 
of  Momence  Circuit,  and  at  Bourbonais  Grove,  a 
mile  and  a half  away,  there  had  been  a small  class 
and  preaching  for  years.  The  real  nucleus,  how- 
ever, of  the  society  had  been  at  Lamb^s,  across  the 
river.  Mr.  Lamb,  whose  wife  was  a zealous  Meth- 
odist, was  an  old  tavern-keeper  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Naperville,  who  settled  within  a mile  of 
Kankakee  City  in  1849.  A Protestant  Methodist 
preacher,  familiarly  called  Elder  Gay,  began  to 
preach  regularly  in  Mr.  Lamb^s  house  in  the  Fall 
of  1849.  In  1850  J.  L.  Jenkins  was  sent  to  lay 
out  and  organize  Horse  Creek  Circuit,  which  lay 
for  twenty  miles  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Kan- 
kakee River.  He  at  once  established  an  appoint- 
ment at  Mr.  Lamb^s  house.  This  was  kept  up  the 
next  year  by  the  writer  of  these  pages.  In  the 
Summer  of  1852  the  preaching  was  moved  to  a 
slab  school-house,  a half  mile  south  of  the  present 
site  of  Kankakee.  The  same  Summer  the  ground 
was  broken  along  the  river  by  a contractor,  com- 
mencing that  branch  of  the  great  Central  Railway. 
We  are  not  certain  whether  this  appointment  was 
kept  up  from  1852  to  1853  or  not.  By  September, 
1853,  the  cars  were  running  from  Chicago,  fifty- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


393 


five  miles,  to  the  Kankakee  River.  The  depot  was 
built  and  the  trees  cut  down  for  a few  shanties, 
which  were  being  erected  at  the  time  of  conference. 
The  Kankakee  Mission  that  year  took  in  all  the 
country  from  five  miles  east  of  Kankakee  to  Horse 
Creek,  twelve  miles  west,  and  was  supplied  by  Dr. 
Chester  Reeder,  who,  after  being  admitted  to  con- 
ference, was  discontinued  in  1855,  for  which  cause 
he  joined  the  Protestant  Methodists,  and  was  in 
1865  practicing  medicine  at  Somanoc.  The  ap- 
pointments were  at  Kankakee,  Aroma,  Horse  Creek, 
Limestone,  Sammon’s  Point,  and  Bourbonais  Grove. 
Dr.  Reeder  had  glorious  times  during  the  year. 
He  preached  in  the  freight  house,  and  in  the  Fall 
of  1853  formed  a class  at  Kankakee,  consisting  of 
eighteen  members,  who  had  moved  in  from  the 
country  round  about  to  enter  into  business  there. 
In  1854  the  court-house  was  commenced,  and  quite 
a town  existed  where  there  was  nothing  but  a 
dense  thicket  in  the  Summer  of  1853.  In  1854 
James  McClane,  who  remained  two  years,  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  work. 

In  1855  Kankakee  became  a station,  with  one  or 
two  out  appointments.  A brick  church  was  built 
and  dedicated  in  1855.  The  dedication  services 
were  conducted  by  Sias  Bolles — who  in  those  days 
dedicated  nearly  all  the  churches — on  December  16, 
1855.  His  text  was^  Freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give.”  The  points  of  the  sermon  were,  first, 
the  free  gifts  of  God,  civil  and  religious;  and, 
second,  our  obligation  to  God  for  these  gifts. 
The  church  was  of  brick,  with  a stone  basement 


394 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


and  fine  spire,  being  thirty-six  by  fifty-two  feet  in 
size,  and  cost  three  thousand  dollars.  There  was  a 
debt  of  sixteen  hundred  dollars.  Mr.  Bolles  set  to 
work,  and  raised  a subscription  of  eighteen  hundred 
dollars.  It  would  be  a little  curious  to  follow  out 
the  history  of  dedications  in  the  conference.  In 
the  days  of  this  dedication  Sias  Bolles  opened  nearly 
all  the  churches,  and  no  man  ever  raised  the  amounts 
of  indebtedness  so  easily  as  himself.  But  the  pro- 
gramme has  varied.  John  Clark,  Dr.  R.  S.  Foster, 
Wilbur  McKaig,  J.  C.  Stoughton,  Hooper  Crews, 
Luke  Hitchcock,  R.  L.  Collier,  and  John  Dempster 
have  borne  an  honorable  part,  but  after  Brother 
Bolles,  Dr.  Eddy  became  the  leading  favorite.  It 
would  be  a curious  thing  to  note  the  churches  he 
dedicated  in  our  limits  since  1857,  and  he  probably 
raised  larger  sums  than  any  other  man.  To  raise 
between  two  and  three  thousand  dollars  in  sub- 
scriptions was  no  uncommon  thing. 

When  the  new  church  was  completed  at  Kan- 
kakee a society  of  seventy  members  entered  its 
walls  to  carry  on  the  work  of  God  there.  Ever 
since  the  charge  has  occupied  an  honorable  place 
on  the  list  of  appointments,  having  at  times  gra- 
cious revivals.  The  Winter  of  1863  was  especially 
a time  of  great  revival  influence.  Under  the  lead- 
ings ot  Elijah  Stone  there  was  a work  long  to  be 
remembered.  In  1864  there  were  two  hundred 
members,  a church  and  parsonage,  together  worth 
four  thousand  fiVe  hundred  dollars.  They  paid  the 
preacher  a salary  of  eight  hundred  dollars,  and  had 
a Sunday-school  with  four  hundred  and  thirty 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


395 


scholars.  In  1884  Kankakee  was  set  off  to  Central 
Illinois  Conference. 

The  country  included  in  the  Crete  charge  in  1853 
was  very  much  the  same  as  that  embraced  by  the 
Thornton  Mission  in  1837.  They  had  just  built  a 
neat  little  church,  and  purchased  a parsonage  at 
Crete,  and  in  1853  it  was  a pleasant  little  work 
with  a few  outside  appointments.  In  the  Winter 
of  1854  there  was  a good  revival,  under  the  labors 
of  James  McClane,  with  many  conversions.  Twenty- 
four  joined  the  Church. 

Morris  is  another  charge  constituted  at  the  con- 
ference of  1853.  It  had  previously  been  an  ap- 
pointment on  the  Newark  Circuit,  and,  being  set  off 
as  a mission  station  in  1853,  John  L.  Jenkins,  that 
awkward  yet  deep-thoughted  Yankee,  was  sent  on 
as  the  preacher,  with  a missionary  appropriation  of 
one  hundred  dollars.  The  society  attempted  to  set 
up  for  themselves  with  surrounding  appointments 
in  1849,  but  the  scheme  ended  in  a year.  When 
an  appointment  was  first  established  there  we  can 
not  tell,  but  in  1843  S.  F.  Denning,  who  was  then 
on  the  Milford  Circuit,  had  an  appointment  once 
in  two  weeks,  on  Saturday  forenoon,  in  the  Morris 
court-house,  which  was  used  as  the  preaching-place 
until  a school-house  was  built  in  1852.  When  Mr. 
Denning  and  Irvine  were  on  the  Newark  Circuit  in 
1851  Brother  Irvine  lived  at  Newark  and  Brother 
Denning  lived  at  Morris.  Writing  August,  1853, 
he  says : No  place  with  the  same  advantages  has 

improved  within  three  years  more  rapidly  than  Mor- 
ris, . . . and  buildings  are  going  up  every  day. 


396 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Although  it  has  quite  a Catholic  population,  yet  a 
large  portion  of  its  citizens  are  Protestants,  possess- 
ing intellectual  and  moral  qualifications  rarely  ex- 
ceeded in  any  of  our  Western  or  Eastern  towns. 
The  Congregationalists  have  a neat  little  house  of 
worship,  with  a stated  pastor.  The  Episcopalians 
and  Catholics  have  churches.  The  Methodists  have 
just  completed  a neat  and  well-finished  house  for 
the  Lord ; it  was  dedicated  on  the  13th  of  August, 
1853,  by  John  Clark  and  Sias  Bolles.  Brother 
Clark  opened  the  services  on  Saturday  at  11  o’clock 
by  a very  interesting  and  profitable  preparatory  dis- 
course, which  was  followed  by  Brother  holies  in  the 
evening.  Mr.  Clark  preached  Sunday  morning,  and 
the  house  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God.” 
The  church  was  commenced  in  1852. 

The  conference  of  1854  met  at  Lewiston,  in 
Fulton  County.  This  may  be  set  down  as  the  last 
conference  to  which  the  preachers  traveled  in  old 
style.  In  1853  there  was  a railroad  from  Elgin  and 
from  Kankakee.  City  to  Chicago,  but  this  year  there 
was  no  public  conveyance,  unless  it  was  the  old- 
fashioned  stage-coach.  Ever  since  the  conference 
has  met  at  places  on  the  railways.  Lewiston  was 
at  the  extreme  south-western  portion  of  the  confer- 
ence. The  present  writer  started  from  Momence, 
traveled  fifty  miles  to  Ash  Grove  by  buggy,  joined 
horses  with  William  R.  Irvine,  and  traveled  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  to  Lewiston  over  the  most  dusty 
roads  ever  seen,  and  this  was  a fair  specimen  of  the 
travel  of  a greater  portion  of  the  preachers.  Bishop 
Morris  was  again  president ; he  was  never  after 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


397 


present  at  the  conference.  Peter  Cartwright  was 
present  on  a visit,  adding  music  to  the  occasion,  and 
John  Dempster,  working  for  a noble  cause.  It  was 
Dr.  DempstePs  first  appearance  at  the  conference, 
and  while  Elder  Cartwright  introduced  himself  in 
a sermon  with  as  much  fun  as  a comedian.  Dr. 
Dempster  introduced  himself  in  one  of  those  ser- 
mons jutting  with  thought  that  had  startled  his 
hearers  for  forty  years  like  the  falling  of  an  ava- 
lanche. When  a report  was  adopted  approving  the 
Biblical  Institute,  Mr.  Cartwright  remarked  quite 
loudly  to  a circle  around  him : There,  you  have 

swallowed  the  critter,  horns  and  all  Such  is  the 
reception  great  movements  that  wand-like  are  to 
move  the  centuries  sometimes  receive  at  the  hands 
of  those  who  should  be  wiser ! The  new  events 
of  this  conference  were  of  more  consequence  than  the 
events  of  any  other  session  (unless  we  except  the 
first)  of  the  Rock  River  Conference,  and  our  pages 
will  be  many  ere  we  are  ready  to  go  to  the  Rock 
Island  Conference  of  1855.  Most  of  the  new  preach- 
ers received  are  in  the  Central  Illinois  Conference, 
and  do  not  claim  our  notice ; the  transfers  were  of 
more  consequence,  among  whom  were  some  of  our 
most  worthy  laborers.  Among  those  received  on  trial 
were  James  Bush,  a short,  good-natured  young 
Englishman,  fresh  from  a Sheffield  pocket-knife 
manufactory,  who  labored  faithfully  till  his  death, 
in  1883;  A.  G.  Smith,  a man  of  deep  piety,  who, 
in  spite  of  a bad  pulpit  manner,  by  affectionate  en- 
treaty and  zealous  labors,  brought  many  to  Christ ; 
HoiiLAND  W.  Richaedson,  a brother  of  George 


398 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Richardson,  whose  father  was  for  a time  a useful 
member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Conference.  H.  W. 
Richardson  became  one  of  the  most  useful  of  our 
young  preachers.  Ardent,  impetuous,  social,  he 
won  all  comers.  His  health  failed  in  1859,  and, 
after  graduating  through  two  medical  colleges,  he 
settled  down  in  Harvard  to  practice  medicine,  where, 
as  a superannuated  member  of  the  conference,  he 
remained  for  years  an  efficient  church  worker. 
He  organized  the  Methodist  societies  of  Harvard 
and  at  Rockton.  Another  admission  was  G.  F. 
Gage,  who  flamed  for  a while,  and  who,  from  re- 
proving sisters  in  class  for  wearing  rings,  swung  on 
the  pendulum  on  which  all  radical  souls  swing  over 
almost  to  Universalisim  and  worldliness,  and  located 
in  1860  to  go  into  business.  William  D.  Atchison 
was  another  admitted  at  Lewiston.  He  was  raised 
a Scotch  Presbyterian  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mt. 
Carroll,  and  began  to  study  for  the  ministry,  but 
becoming  displeased  with  the  doctrine  of  election, 
which  stands  out  as  hugely  spectral  in  Calvinistic 
Churches  as  ever,  he  revolted  from  the  Calvinistic 
to  the  Arminian  ranks,  and  entered  the  conference 
to  become  one  of  its  most  efficient  workers.  He  is 
one  of  those  men  who  at  first  disappoint  you,  but 
succeed  in  the  end.  In  going  from  a back  circuit 
to  Belvidere,  in  1863,  many  feared  he  would  fail, 
and  when  he  entered  the  pulpit  some  drifting  ones 
left  their  pews  for  other  churches.  Tlie  congrega- 
tions were  slim,  but  his  ardent  support  of  the  Union 
cause  and  the  exhibition  of  real  talent  filled  the 
pews,  until  the  church  would  not  well  hold  the  peo- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


399 


pie.  Great  was  the  regret  of  most  when,  at  the 
close  of  his  first  year,  he  was  appointed  chap- 
lain in  the  army.  U.  P.  Goliday  was  a man 
of  large  family,  who  had  been  a practicing  physi- 
cian for  many  years  while  he  resisted  the  call  to 
preach.  He  was  now  too  old  to  succeed  to  the 
greatest  extent.  His  habits  were  formed,  and  while 
reigning  as  physician  he  must  serve  as  preacher. 
This  he  was  unused  to,  and  sometimes  fretted  in  the 
work.  He  was,  when  in  the  work,  a man  of  fine 
talent.  In  1859,  he  went  to  Western  Iowa,  and  for 
years  was  a leader  in  the  Des  Moines  Conference. 
He  filled  efficiently  the  office  of  presiding  elder, 
and  was  several  times  elected  delegate  to  the  Gen- 
eral Conference.  At  length,  with  the  gray  hairs 
of  age  upon  him,  honored  more  than  most,  he  re- 
tired to  the  ranks  of  the  superannuates,  and  made 
himself  a pleasant  home  at  Lenox,  Iowa.  As  a 
rule,  men  who  enter  conference  at  full  age,  and  after 
they  have  served  in  some  other  calling,  do  not  readily 
adjust  themselves  to  the  work,  and  because  they  do 
not  succeed  they  become  sour-spirited  and  blame 
the  Church.  We  dissent  entirely  from  a view  ex- 
pressed by  Dr.  Raymond  at  conference  in  1864, 
that  no  man  should  enter  conference  till  thirty 
years  of  age.  A man^s  most  noble  impulses  to  la- 
bor are  beginning  to  subside  at  thirty.  The  more 
we  look  at  results  the  more  we  are  of  opinion  that 
the  Scriptures  are  correct  which  institute  old  men 
for  counsel  and  young  men  for  war.  There  is  per- 
haps hardly  an  exception  to  the  statement  that  no 
man  in  middle  age  has  left  other  employ  to  enter 


400 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


the  Rock  River  Conference  and  succeeded  greatly 
as  a minister.  William  Gaddis  and  W.  P.  Jones 
are  perhaps  exceptions.  And  if  a young  man  called 
to  the  work  resists  and  goes  into  worldly  employ 
until  he  is  no  longer  available,  let  him  not  blame 
the  Church  if  she  prefers  young  men  to  such  as  he 
who  is  passing  swiftly  to  the  superannuated  list.  It 
is  his  misfortune  and  not  the  Church’s  fault. 

The  members  received  by  transfer  were  John 
Dempster,  C.  M.  Woodard,  Thomas  Williams — an 
erratic  brother,  who  left  in  a year  or  two,  J.  J. 
Gridley  by  name — W.  F.  Stewart,  and  Josiah  Gibson. 

But  we  turn  to  notice  the  new  charges  which 
aspired  for  honorable  recognition  in  1854. 

Batavia  was  named  in  connection  with  Geneva 
in  1852,  and  S.  P.  Keyes  appointed  to  the  charge 
with  the  express  understanding  that  he  was  to 
travel  at  large  to  raise  money  to  build  a church  at 
Batavia.  There  were  few  members  there,  but  Mr. 
John  Van  Nertwick,  of  the  Burlington  Railway, 
had  offered  one  thousand  dollars  toward  a church 
if  the  Methodists  would  build.  The  conference 
proposed  to  accept  this  offer,  and  Brother  Keyes, 
being  appointed,  he  performed  his  work  nobly, 
erecting  a neat  church.  Very  little  was  collected 
abroad,  however.  In  the  Summer  of  1853  Dr.  C. 
T.  Hinman,  president  of  the  new  university  at 
Evanston,  went  out  to  dedicate  this  church,  accom- 
panied by  J.  V.  Watson,  the  editor  of  the  Norths 
western.  The  editor  pronounced  the  Methodism 
there  to  be  of  the  right  stripe,”  and  fell  in  love, 
as  well  he  might,  with  the  beautiful  town.  Spon- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


401 


taneous  amens  and  shouts  arose  from  souls  not  afraid 
to  confess  their  love  for  the  Savior.  The  church 
was,  according  to  Watson,  ^^a  superb  edifice;  its 
superior  we  learn,^^  the  editor  continues,  ^Ms  not  to 
be  found  in  the  West.^^  That  will  do  for  1853; 
the  Methodist  world  has  moved  since  then.  The 
Batavia  Church  is  built  of  stone,  with  basement 
and  handsome  steeple  bearing  up  (in  1853)  a sweet- 
toned  bell.  The  whole  cost  (in  cheap  times)  was 
five  thousand  dollars.  The  dedication  sermon  was 
one  of  Dr.  Hinman^s  best,  and  the  services  were  a 
jubilee  to  the  little  class.  In  1853  S.  H.  Stocking 
was  sent  to  the  charge.  He  found  at  Batavia  thirty- 
six  members,  which  number  by  January  was  in- 
creased to  seventy.  The  place  for  many  years  had 
been  included  in  the  St.  Charles  Circuit,  and  in  the 
village,  or  near  by,  there  has  been  an  appointment 
from  the  early  day.  In  1842  the  preaching  was  in 
the  Episcopal  Church. 

Caledonia,  with  H.  W.  Richardson  as  preacher, 
was  another  charge  that  appeared  in  1854.  The 
building  of  the  Beloit  Branch  of  the  Galena  Rail- 
road gave  the  need  for  the  new  circuit.  At  Lin- 
derman^s  neighborhood,  six  miles  east  of  Beloit, 
there  had  been  an  appointment  and  class  since  1838; 
the  other  appointments  were  new.  In  1863  the 
name  was  changed  to  Poplar  Grove,  after  the  sta- 
tion of  that  name,  the  main  society  being  there  and 
no  class  at  all  at  Caledonia.  In  1863,  under  the 
direction  of  that  nervous,  energetic  man,  peerless  in 
wit,  D.  J.  Holmes  by  name,  a church  was  begun  at 
Poplar  Grove,  which  was  finished  in  the  Spring  of 

34 


402 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


1864^  and  dedicated  by  Robert  L.  Collier,  one  of 
those  brilliant  transfers  of  Chicago.  It  was  a day 
of  joy  for  the  Poplar  Grove  people.  The  work  on 
that  circuit  is  still  somewhat  in  an  embryo  state, 
and  future  years  must  develop  its  capabilities. 

An  appointment  was  established  at  Stieling  as 
early  as  1840,  the  neighborhood  being  then  known 
as  Rock  River  Rapids.  R.  A.  Blanchard  preached 
there  at  that  time,  and  the  preaching  was  continued 
by  L.  S.  Walker  in  1842.  It  was  for  many  years 
on  the  old  Buffalo  Grove  Circuit.  The  circuit  was 
supplied  in  1854  by  G.  J.  Bliss,  a man  who  has 
since  made  himself  known  in  the  conference.  Until 
1857  the  appointments  were  at  Stirling,  Como, 
Empire,  and  New  Genesee.  In  1855  S.  F.  Denning 
and  G.  W.  T.  Wright  were  appointed  to  the  circuit. 
There  were  appointments  at  Gap  Grove,  New  Gen- 
esee, Rock  Creek,  Como,  and  Empire.  There  was 
preaching  twice  each  Sabbath  in  Stirling;  one  Sun- 
day in  the  ol  court-house  at  the  north  end  of  the 
long  town,  the  other  in  the  old  stone  school-house. 
The  church — a spacious  brick  costing  nine  thousand 
dollars — was  commenced  in  1856,  and  built  mostly 
under  the  direction  of  J.  E.  Cobby,  a local  preacher 
who  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  Illinois  Confer- 
ence. It  was  completed  in  1857,  and  dedicated  by 
Luke  Hitchcock.  The  debt  was  then  three  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  fourteen  dollars.  They  se- 
cured pledges  amounting  to  twelve  hundred  dollars, 
but  by  borrowing  money  at  high  rates  the  debt  ran 
up  to  four  or  five  thousand  dollars,  and  the  church 
was  sold  in  1861  and  bought  back  by  the  society. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1852-1854. 


403 


It  will  stand  as  a monument  of  folly.  It  was  at 
one  end  of  a town  a mile  long,  and  the  town  going 
away  south  as  fast  as  enterprise  could  carry  it.  It 
was  built  there  to  enhance  the  value  of  certain 
property.  The  town  did  not  need  then  a nine 
thousand  dollar  church.  But  the  Methodists  have 
manfully  sustained  the  work  through  many  dark 
days,  and  the  Head  of  the  Church  has  recompensed 
them  in  frequent  revivals  and  the  conversion  of 
souls. 

There  was  an  appointment  at  Daniel  Pierce’s, 
near  where  Oswego  now  stands,  in  1832,  and  prob- 
ably from  that  time  there  has  been  regular  preaching 
there.  The  place  was  included  in  the  Milford  Cir- 
cuit until  it  passed  into  the  Plainfield  Charge  in 
1848.  When  in  1854  Oswego  gave  name  to  a cir- 
cuit there  were  appointments  at  Oswego  and  Bristol, 
and  the  work  was  supplied  by  M.  Lewis,  a local 
preacher,  who  performed  much  valuable  service  in 
Kendall  County.  A church  was  built  in  Oswego 
in  1854,  and  dedicated  the  15th  of  October  of  that 
year  by  Sias  Bolles,  the  irrepressible  church  dedi- 
cator. The  text  used  on  the  occasion  was  Matthew 
xvi,  18:  ^^On  this  rock,”  etc.  The  obstacles  with 
which  the  Christian  Church  has  to  contend,  and  the 
resources  which  the  Church  has  to  overcome  these  ob- 
stacles, was  the  befitting  theme  of  the  occasion.  The 
sermon  was  characterized  by  that  devotional  spirit 
and  practical  piety  so  peculiar  to  Brother  Bolles, 
which  never  failed  to  gain  the  attention  and  move 
the  heart.  There  was  five  hundred  dollars  un- 
provided for.  This  was  soon  raised  in  subscriptions, 


404 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  the  house  appropriately  dedicated.  It  has  since 
been  the  scene  of  many  religious  successes. 

The  other  new  charges  constituted  at  the  Lewis- 
ton Conference  were  Wakeen,  since  become  one 
of  our  best  stations;  Homek;  Sugar  Grove,  a 
work  taken  from  Kaneville  Circuit,  having  ap- 
pointments at  Montgomery,  Bristol  Station,  Jericho, 
and  Sugar  Grove.  The  work  was  supplied  by  T. 
L.  Olmsted,  who  had  more  than  forty  conversions 
during  the  year.  Several  of  the  preachers  on  Sugar 
Grove  Circuit  lived  at  Montgomery. 

Niles,  another  new  appointment  constituted  in 
1853,  was  a part  of  the  old  Union  Ridge  work. 
The  appointments  were  at  the  Niles  School-house ; 
Penoyer^s  School-house;  at  a school-house  on  the 
north  branch  of  the  Chicago  River;  at  Deerfield; 
at  Port  Clinton;  in  Hiram  Clarkes  house;  and  in 
Rev.  A.  E.  Day^s  house.  During  the  year  1854 
the  preacher,  Thomas  Cochran,  raised  a subscrip- 
tion for  the  Church  at  Brickton,  now  Park  Ridge. 

At  the  close  of  this  half  decade — 1850  to  1855 — 
there  were  eleven  thousand  members,  and  seventy 
traveling  preachers  in  the  bounds  of  the  conference. 
There  were  seventy-eight  different  charges.  In 
1885  there  are  two  hundred  and  twenty-two 
charges,  with  two  hundred  and  forty  members  of 
conference,  and  twenty-eight  thousand  members  of 
the  Church. 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 


405 


CHAPTKR  XXV. 

EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 

WE  come  now  to  note  some  of  the  most  influ- 
ential occurrences  of  the  conference's  history. 
We  refer  to  Evanston  and  its  schools,  and  the  North- 
loestern  Christian  Advocate.  May  31,  1850,  Zadoc 
Hall,  Eichard  Haney,  and  E.  A.  Blanchard,  pastors 
of  the  three  city  Churches,  Grant  Goodrich,  Orring- 
ton  Lunt,  H.  W.  Clark,  John  Evans,  J.  K.  Botsford, 
and  A.  J.  Brown,  prominent  Chicago  laymen,  met 
at  the  office  of  Grant  Goodrich  to  consider  the  pro- 
priety of  establishing  a university  for  the  North- 
west. Eesolutions  were  passed  in  favor  of  imme- 
diate action,  and  a committee  appointed  to  secure  a 
charter  from  the  State  Legislature.  The  charter 
was  obtained  in  1851,  and  June  15,  1851,  A.  S. 
Sherman,  Grant  Goodrich,  J.  K.  Botsford,  John 
Evans,  O.  Lunt,  A.  J.  Brown,  George  F.  Foster,  J. 
M.  Arnold,  E.  B.  Kingsley,  James  Kettlestrings,  N. 
S.  Davis,  and  A.  Funk  were  elected  local  trustees. 
In  1852  lots  valued  at  eight  thousand  dollars  were 
J purchased  on  Jackson  Street  for  a site  for  the  pre- 
paratory school,  and  a committee  appointed  to  select 
a site  for  the  university  proper.  In  1853  the  se- 
lection was  made.  At  first  a tract  of  land,  twelve 
miles  north-west  of  the  city,  was  fixed  upon.  But 


406 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


a few  of  the  trustees  pleaded  for  time,  thinking  a 
better  site  could  be  found.  One  of  the  most  per- 
sistent of  these  was  Orrington  Lunt,  The  purchase 
was  about  completed  when  Mr.  Lunt  took  a trip  up 
the  lake  shore,  where  he  thought  the  location  ought 
to  be.  The  road  running  north  from  Chicago  was 
along  a ridge,  some  distance  west  of  the  lake.  To  the 
east  was  low,  swampy,  open  land,  and  travelers  sup- 
posed the  wet  land  continued  to  the  lake.  Mr.  Lunt 
was  riding  with  a man  who  had  business  with  a 
person  along  the  road  near  Grosse  Point.  While  he 
was  engaged  with  the  man  Mr.  Lunt  went  out  alone 
across  the  wet  land  towards  the  lake  and  discovered 
the  beautiful  sandy  ridges  where  Evanston  now 
stands.  He  became  so  enthused  by  the  scenes  that 
his  very  dreams  that  night  were  filled  with  visions 
of  the  coming  glory  of  the  institution.  Mr.  Lunt 
was  determined  to  have  the  committee  on  location 
visit  the  place.  This  committee,  O.  Lunt,  Philo 
Judson,  John  Evans,  and  George  E.  Foster,  on  a 
beautiful  Summer  day  in  August  took  their  car- 
riages and  rode  northward.  At  length  they  drove 
out  upon  the  p^'esent  university  ground.  The  lake, 
trees,  and  beautiful  lands  inspired  them.  Brother 
Foster,  always  enthusiastic,  threw  up  his  hat  and 
all  joined  in  the  cry,  We  have  found  it.”  No 
doubting  or  discussion  was  ever  heard  from  that 
moment.  The  trustees  immediately  purchased  three 
hundred  acres  of  land  at  seventy  dollars  per  acre, 
and  Evanston  began  to  rise  from  the  earth. 

In  June,  1853,  Rev.  Clark  T.  Hinman  was  elected 
president.  The  village  was  named  after  John  Evans, 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS,  407 

the  president  of  the  board  of  trustees.  President 
Hinman  soon  died,  and  in  1856  R.  S.  Foster  was 
elected  president,  and  served  for  four  years.  In 
1866  Dr.  E.  O.  Haven  filled  the  presidential  chair. 
Since  then  the  university  has  had  Dr.  C.  H.  Fowler 
and  Dr.  Joseph  Cummins  at  its  head.  It  will  be 
seen  that  three  bishops,  Foster,  Haven,  and  Fowler, 
have  been  in  charge  at  Evanston.  Some  of  the 
first  graduates  were  T.  E.  Annis,  W.  E.  Clifford,  S. 
L.  Eastman,  E.  J.  Searle,  H.  M.  Kidder,  in  1859 ; 
A.  C.  Linn,  W.  A.  Lord,  H.  A.  Plimpton,  E.  Q. 
Searle,  M.  C.  Spalding,  F.  A.  Springer,  and  Hart 
L.  Stewart,  in  1860;  J.  W.  Haney,  M.  Mohler,  W. 
A.  Spencer,  and  Warren  Taplin  in  1861. 

As  soon  as  it  was  seen  that  Evanston  was  to  be 
literary  ground  J.  W.  Jones  and  his  brother  Wm. 
P.  Jones  commenced  the  erection  of  a building, 
which  flourished  for  a long  time  under  the  title  of 
Northwestern  Female  College.  This  institution  was 
inaugurated  in  1854,  and  until  1865  W.  P.  Jones 
was  at  its  head. 

Mr.  Jones  showed  indomitable  courage.  The 
school  was  always  a private  enterprise  under  the 
wing  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  as  it  was  at  first 
thought  that  the  conference  would  in  time  establish 
a female  college  at  Evanston  the  Jones  College  was 
given  the  cold  side  by  many,  and  bitterly  opposed 
by  some.  W.  P.  Jones  literally  fought  his  way  to 
success  and  recognition,  nobly  winning  this  recog- 
nition. In  1856  the  building  was  burned  down — 
a calamity  that  would  have  appalled  most  men  but 
Principal  Jones.  Out  of  the  ashes  grew  a new  and 


408 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


better  building,  and  the  institution  still  prospered 
wonderfully.  A poet  himself  of  no  mean  order, 
Mr.  Jones  succeeded  in  calling  around  him  poets 
that  have  made  themselves  a name  through  the 
medium  of  the  press.  In  many  numbers  of  the 
Ladies^  Repository  the  reader  can  find  poems  by 
Luella  Clark  and  Lizzie  Mace  McFarland.  Lately 
the  name  of  Emily  J.  Bugbee  was  added  to  the 
list  of  really  fine  poets,  whose  strains  were  first 
chanted  in  the  dim  lamp-light  of  the  Northwestern 
Female  College.  The  institution  became  a neces- 
sity patronized  by  the  good  people  of  Illinois. 

The  first  graduate  of  the  college  was  Miss  Lydia 
M.  Hayes,  who  graduated  in  1858,  and  directly  be- 
came the  wife  of  President  Jones  and  a teacher  in 
the  institution.  Other  graduates  have  been  Mar- 
garet McKee  and  Francis  E.  Willard,  author  of 
that  successful  book,  Nineteen  Beautiful  Years,^^ 
in  1859,  and  in  1885  president  of  the  Woman’s 
National  Temperance  movement;  Julia  Atkins; 
Mary  H.  Bannister,  who  became  the  wife  of  Oliver 
Willard;  Louisa  Drake;  Martha  J.  Stewart;  Ada 
Ward;  Mary  E.  Willard,  subject  of  Nineteen 
Beautiful  Years;”  Elizabeth  D.  Wilson  and  Julia 
Wood  in  1860;  Louisa  M.  Bragdon,  Lydia  M. 
Howe,  Isabella  S.  Milner,  Mary  E.  Bragdon,  Mar- 
tha J.  Shannon,  and  Celia  S.  Stowe  in  1861.  This 
school  finally  became  the  Woman’s  College  in  con- 
nection with  the  university. 

But  still  a nobler  work  than  any  named  in  this 
chapter  demands  our  attention. 

The  Garrett  Biblical  Institute,  organized 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS. 


409 


in  1854,  had  already,  when  but  ten  years  were  past, 
created  ripples  on  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  was  swaying 
influence  among  the  peaks  of  the  Himalaya  Mount- 
ains. After  the  infant  Church  was  planted  in  New 
York  City,  in  1766,  Mr.  Wesley  was  importuned 
from  time  to  time  to  send  out  laborers  to  care  for 
the  opening  fields.  Mr.  Wesley  listened  to  the  calls, 
and  sent  out  young  men  in  pairs.  Richard  Board- 
man  and  Joseph  Pilmoor  came  over  in  1769 ; Fran- 
cis Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  in  1772;  Thomas 
Rankin  and  George  Shadford  in  1773;  and  James 
Dempster  and  Martin  Rodda  in  1774.  No  more  were 
sent  until  Dr.  Coke  came  in  1784.  Dempster  and 
Rodda  arrived  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1774, 
in  time  to  relieve  Asbury  from  New  York  for  other 
labors.  James  Dempster  was  a Scotchman,  who 
had  been  educated  at  the  University  of  Edinburgh. 
He  traveled  about  ten  years  under  Wesley  in  Eng- 
land, and  Wesley^s  correspondence  with  him  shows 
that  he  was  much  respected  by  that  matchless 
leader.  At  the  American  Conference  of  1775,  Mr. 
Dempster  was  appointed  to  New  York,  but  his 
health  soon  failed.  He  married,  and  the  same  year 
retired  from  the  itinerancy  and  the  Church,  for  to 
marry  in  those  days  was  to  retire  or  locate,  as  no 
provision  was  made  for  preachers^  wives.  He 
joined  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he  was 
reared,  with  the  avowal  that  he  still  held  Arminian 
views,  and  settled  down  as  a minister  of  that  de- 
nomination in  Florida,  Montgomery  County,  New 
York.  He  was  attacked  by  sudden  disease  in  the 
pulpit  in  1804,  and  died  ten  days  after.  He  left 

35 


410 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  ranks  of  those  peerless  men  who  kindled  re- 
splendent fires  on  our  shores  himself,  but  gave  one 
of  the  most  noted  men  to  the  Church,  who  for  forty 
years  shone  unequaled.  That  son  was  Dr.  John 
Dempster.  At  this  place  where  his  father  settled 
John  was  born  on  the  second  day  of  January,  1794, 
being  at  his  death,  in  1863,  seventy  years  of  age. 
He  was  the  son  of  a second  wife.  The  father  died 
when  the  son  was  ten  years  old,  leaving  him  with- 
out any  one  to  direct  him  in  life.  Consequently  he 
grew  up  ignorant  of  books,  having  barely  sufficient 
knowledge  of  writing  and  arithmetic  to  carry  on  the 
little  trade  in  which,  when  a young  man,  he  en- 
gaged with  an  older  brother.  The  trade  referred 
to  was  a tin  store,  which  employed  a man  to  ped- 
dle through  the  country.  While  in  connection  with 
this  tin  trade,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  was  con- 
verted. Marvelous  stories  concerning  the  conversion 
of  a tin-peddler  are  frequently  told  by  romantic 
preachers.  The  doctor  informed  the  writer  that  the 
story  is  romance.  The  firm  employed  a peddler; 
that  is  all  there  is  of  it.  At  the  time  of  his  con- 
version young  Dempster  was  wild,  and  scarcely  ever 
attended  meeting.  A camp-meeting  was  held  near 
his  place,  which  he  would  not  condescend  to  attend. 
The  family,  however,  attended,  driving  back  and 
forth  each  day.  By  accident  the  horses  the  family 
drove  became  lame.  John  had  a fine  span  of 
sprightly  colts,  which  the  family  requested  the  use 
of.  John  was  kind  enough  to  grant  the  request, 
but,  like  many  another,  he  would  suffer  no  one  but 
himself  to  drive  the  horses.  He  was,  therefore,  led 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 


411 


by  a kind  of  necessity  to  the  camp-ground.  While 
there  he  was  stricken  by  the  Word,  and,  commenc- 
ing to  seek  religion,  he  wrestled  in  the  hedge  sur- 
rounding the  camp-ground  all  one  night  until 
sunrise,  and,  to  use  his  own  words,  uttered  at  Rock- 
ford in  the  last  Rock  River  Conference  love-feast 
he  ever  attended:  long  night  of  struggle  was 

my  lot,  a night  whose  darkness  bordered  the  world 
of  despair;  but,  just  as  the  natural  sun  arose  to 
shed  its  beams  upon  the  world,  a new  sun  arose — 
it  was  the  Sun  of  eternity.  The  clouds,  the  trees, 
were  vocal  with  music,  and  I joined  the  glad  con- 
cert.^^  According  to  accounts  there  was  but  one 
other  conversion  at  the  meeting.  A little  girl,  who 
afterward  became  a pious,  useful  woman,  was  also 
brought  to  the  Savior.  The  meeting  was  consid- 
ered by  those  near-sighted  Methodists  as  a partial 
failure,  but  a noble  ministry  of  fifty  years  was  not, 
after  all,  a small  result.  This  was  in  1812.  In 
three  months  young  Dempster  was  preaching  the 
Gospel,  being  employed  as  a supply,  and  in  1816 
was  admitted  to  the  old  Genesee  Conference,  with 
George  Peck,  at  a time  when  there  were  but  six 
hundred  and  ninety-five  preachers  in  the  whole 
Church,  and  when  Isaac  Puffer,  Charles  Giles,  George 
Gary,  Loring  Grant,  William  Case,  and  Elias  Bowen 
were  preachers  in  the  conference.  He  was  appointed 
to  St.  Lawrence  Circuit,  Canada.  The  work  was  a 
vast  one,  and  most  of  it  wilderness.  During  the 
cold  season  his  horse  broke  down,  and  he  continued 
his  travels  on  foot.  His  boots  gave  out,  but  he 
went  on  still,  his  feet  constantly  wet  with  snow 


412 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


water.  By  conference  time  he  was  nearly  broken 
down.  He  was  afterward  appointed  to  Paris,  Water- 
town,  Scipio,  Homer,  Auburn,  Rochester,  and  Caz- 
enovia;  and  in  1829  was  made  presiding  elder  of 
Cayuga  District  in  the  Oneida  Conference.  From 
the  first  he  was  surrounded  by  Calvinism  and  perse- 
cution. These  were  the  elements  that  constituted 
him  a man.  It  was  under  these  early  surroundings 
that  he  said  that  a man  who  would  teach  the 
damnation  of  infants  ought  to  have  his  lips  sealed 
with  an  eternal  frost  Dempster  traveled  the 
Cayuga  and  Black  River  Districts  as  presiding  elder 
until,  in  1836,  he  went  out  as  missionary  to  Buenos 
Ayres,  a charge  afterward  filled  by  his  son-in-law, 
William  Goodfellow.  Returning  from  South  Amer- 
ica, he  was  appointed  to  Vestry  Street,  New  York, 
in  1842.  He  continued  in  the  city  until  1845,  when 
he  entered  upon  the  most  noted  enterprise  of  his 
life;  that  of  aiding  in  the  establishment  of  the  first 
Methodist  Biblical  Institute  in  America.  While 
presiding  elder  between  1829  and  1836  he  was  much 
concerned  about  a supply  of  fitting  men  to  fill  the 
rising  Methodist  appointments  in  his  districts. 
Thinking,  like  many  since,  that  a resort  to  im- 
portation would  supply  his  demand,  he  applied  to 
Bishop  Hedding  for  the  transfer  of  capable  men 
from  New  England.  He  was  informed  that  New 
England  had  no  such  men  to  spare.  From  this 
time  Dempster  began  to  brood  over  the  thought  of 
supply,  seeking  some  means  of  creating  a better  class 
of  men.  These  anxious  thoughts  culminated  in  his 
work  in  the  Concord  Biblical  Institute  in  1845. 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 


413 


In  the  Minutes  of  this  year  we  have  Biblical 
Institute,  Newbury,  VermonV^  John  Dempster, 
professor  of  theology;  Justin  Spaulding,  agent. 
This  is  the  first  record  made  in  Church  documents 
of  the  now  popular  institutes.  In  1840  Osmon 
C.  Baker,  afterward  bishop,  formed  a theological 
class  in  connection  with  the  Newbury  Seminary, 
Vermont,  of  which  he  was  principal.  In  1843 
the  Newbury  Biblical  Institute  was  organized 
as  a distinct  institution,  with  a distinct  board  of 
trustees,  but  the  institute  occupied  a portion  of  the 
seminary  building.  Professor  William  M.  Willett  was 
invited  to  take  charge  of  the  new  institution.  A 
catalogue  was  published  in  1843,  in  which  we  find 
these  items:  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Willett,  president  and 

professor  of  Biblical  literature;  Rev.  O.  C.  Baker, 
professor  of  theology. For  five  years  previous 
to  this  Professor  Willett  had  had  a sort  of  theolog- 
ical class  at  Middletown  Wesleyan  University.  The 
Newbury  Institute  was  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Vermont  and  New  Hampshire  Conferences.  Pres- 
ident Willett  did  the  whole  work  of  the  institute 
for  two  years,  with  the  exception  of  an  evening  or 
two  a week  in  which  Professor  Baker  taught  elocu- 
tion and  criticism,  and  he  also  heard  a class  in 
1844  each  day  in  Watson’s  Institutes  and  the  Dis- 
cipline. In  1845,  at  President  Willett’s  request. 
Dr.  Dempster  was  invited  to  labor  in  the  institu- 
tion. After  a short  term  of  actual  service  at  New- 
bury Dr.  Dempster  labored  to  establish  a general 
institute  under  the  patronage  of  all  the  New  Eng- 
land conferences.  This  was  accomplished  in  1847. 


414 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


In  1846  Dr.  Dempster  went  to  England  as  del- 
egate to  the  World’s  Evangelical  Alliance.  Soon 
after  returning  he  received  a letter  from  England 
from  a Mr.  Stedman,  the  son  of  a Baptist  minister, 
who  had  known  and  admired  Dr.  Dempster  in 
Buenos  Ayres,  but  was  now  residing  in  England. 
The  letter  contained  a check  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  stated  that  having  the  money  on  hand  the 
writer  could  think  of  no  better  way  of  disposing 
of  it  than  by  sending  it  to  Dr.  Dempster  to  be  put 
to  some  good  use.  It  was  a godsend  to  the  almost 
penniless  institute.  The  doctor  and  his  good  wife 
fell  upon  their  knees  to  return  thanks  to  God  for 
his  goodness.  The  feeble  undertaking  was  removed 
to  Concord,  and  was  opened  with  devout  prayer  in 
the  month  of  April,  1847,  in  the  house  of  Mr.  H. 
Grinnel,  as  the  Methodist  General  Biblical  Institute^ 
under  the  care  of  John  Dempster,  Charles  Adams, 
and  Osmon  C.  Baker.  Here  with  little  money,  with- 
out endowment,  without  popular  favor,  opposed  by 
many  of  the  leading  ministers,  and  by  the  Advocate 
and  Journal,  with  faith  in  God  the  peerless  trio  set 
to  work.  In  October,  1847,  the  school  was  removed 
to  a building  prepared  for  it. 

Seven  years  of  earnest  labor  was  given  to  the 
Concord  Institute  ere  Dr.  Dempster  left  it  in  worthy 
hands,  to  open  at  Evanston  the  second  school  of  the 
kind  in  the  American  Methodist  Church.  He  set- 
tled at  Evanston  in  1854,  and  remained  at  the  head 
of  the  institute  there  until  November,  1863.  He 
had  set  in  motion  the  Western  Institute  and  had 
watched  over  nine  years  of  its  young  life,  and  was 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 


415 


desirous  ere  he  departed  to  open  one  more  school. 
The  third  was  to  be  in  California,  It  was  a grand 
thought  that  he  should  construct  a grand  body  with 
vital  parts  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  one  wing 
rippling  the  Atlantic,  the  other  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
but  the  gorgeous  vision  was  left  to  be  completed  by 
other  hands.  The  doctor  asked  leave  of  absence 
of  the  Evanston  board  that  he  might  visit  the  Pa- 
cific coast  to  set  in  motion  an  institution  upon  those 
golden  shores.  A painful  tumor  of  long  standing 
was  so  wearing  to  his  health  he  undertook  to  have 
it  removed  ere  he  set  out  for  California.  On  the 
25th  of  November,  1863,  in  company  with  his  wife^ 
he  went  to  Chicago  and  put  up  at  the  hospitable 
home  of  George  F.  Foster,  where  on  the  same  day 
the  painful  operation  was  performed.  The  perform- 
ance prostrated  him.  Physically  weak,  he  could 
not  rally.  This  was  on  Wednesday;  he  lingered 
until  Saturday,  then,  his  head  resting  on  Dr.  Eddy^s 
breast,  he  passed  calmly  away.  This  was  the  last 
of  earth  to  one  of  the  noblest  men  the  conference 
has  known.  We  shall  never  forget  the  closing  por- 
tion of  the  Rockford  love-feast  speech,  whose  begin- 
ning we  have  already  quoted.  After  reciting  in  a 
sentence  the  incidents  of  his  conversion,  he  con- 
tinued : The  day  is  far  spent,  the  night  is  at  hand, 

but  the  path  is  right  beneath  my  feet.  I look  for 
•a  crown  of  immortality.  When  death  shall  come  I 
feel  that  the  stroke  that  disengages  my  spirit  shall 
be  the  wing  that  shall  waft  me  to  the  spirit  world.^^ 
He  left  four  children  and  an  aged  widow  to  mourn 
his  loss.  As  an  instance  of  his  standing  in  the 


416 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Church  we  may  add  that  in  1828,  1832,  1836,  1840, 
1848,  1856,  and  1860  he  was  a member  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference,  and  was  elected  as  a delegate  for 
1864.  When  he  first  came  into  the  Rock  River 
Conference  he  pushed  his  views  of  ministerial  edu- 
cation to  such  a length  he  was  not  well  received, 
and  for  some  reason  he  never  seemed  to  awake  to 
any  great  effort  in  the  conference  until  1861,  when 
in  a missionary  address  at  Freeport  he  became  al- 
most superhuman.  In  short,  condensed  sentences, 
in  which  were  many  Dempsterian  adjectives,  he 
startled  us  for  an  hour.  It  was  the  grandest  effort 
to  which  we  have  ever  listened.  After  that  several 
times  he  carried  the  audience  by  his  pathos.  In 
1862  he  was  chosen  with  Dr.  W.  W.  Patton,  by  a 
public  meeting  of  citizens  of  Chicago,  to  visit  Pres- 
ident Lincoln  to  urge  him  to  adopt  the  emancipa- 
tion policy.  The  President  urged  the  necessity  of 
conciliating  Kentucky.  ^^Let  Kentucky  go/'  said 
Dempster,  ^^and  we  will  guarantee  you,  from  Illi- 
nois alone,  a regiment  for  every  man  you  lose  in 
Kentucky.^^  In  an  interview  with  some  one  a few 
months  previous  Mr.  Lincoln  had  told  the  story  of 
the  two  Methodist  preachers  traveling  on  horseback 
who  were  to  cross  a river.  One  of  them  exhibited 
much  fear  of  the  crossing  long  before  they  came  to 
the  river.  The  other  becoming  tired  of  these  fears 
remarked:  Brother  don^t  cross  the  river  until  we 

get  there.^^  So  Lincoln  said  he  could  only  adopt 
policies  as  they  became  necessary,  and  did  not  desire 
to  bother  himself  with  rivers  until  he  came  to  them. 
Dr.  Dempster,  in  a telling  way,  referred  to  Lincoln’s 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS. 


417 


use  of  the  story,  and  added:  ^^We  would  humbly 
suggek,  Mr.  Lincoln,  that  we  have  now  come  to  the 
river,  and  must  cross  or  stand  still.^^  This  delega- 
tion visited  Washington  in  August;  the  preliminary 
Proclamation  of  Emancipation  was  issued  in  Sep- 
tember. 

Dr.  Dempster  combined  more  than  most  men  the 
metaphysical  with  the  imaginative.  He  used  ad- 
jectives in  the  most  effective  manner  of  any  writer 
or  speaker  we  know  of.  We  have  never  met  so 
happy  and  powerful  a use  of  adjectives  phrases  in 
any  writings  whatever  as  in  the  writings  of  Dr. 
Dempster.  Abbott  and  Headly  use  glittering  gen- 
eralities and  high-flown  phrases;  Dempster  makes 
every  word  tell.  Since  we  believe  he  will  be  cred- 
ited for  this  faculty,  we  append  instances,  broken 
pieces  of  marble  and  gold,  from  his  noble  lecture 
structures.  At  Rockford  in  1863  a splendid  report 
being  offered  on  the  Union  war  it  was  moved  that 
the  report  be  published  in  several  papers.  Dempster 
moved  as  an  addition,  ^^And  that  it  glow  in  every 
sunbeam  that  greets  the  sight.^^  ^^You  need  have 
no  fear  that  the  crowbar  of  the  geologist  will  ever 
pry  up  the  Rock  of  Ages,  or  the  telescope  of  the 
astronomer  discover  spots  upon  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness— slavery,  that  black  monster  that  has  coiled 
itself  about  the  vitals  of  the  nation — may  God  crush 
it  forever — matchless  heroism — a voice  came  to  the 
smitten  persecutor  from  mid  air,  attended  by  a sound 
from  beyond  where  the  thunder  sleeps,  by  a light 
outvying  the  Asiatic  sun — fearful  midnight  gloom — 
monstrous  fable  of  prelatic  succession — the  fiery 


418 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


chase  of  ambition  kindled  thoughts  on  fire  within 
him — every  truth  that  leaps  from  his  opened  lips — 
grim  edge  of  battle^  fanned  by  the  eternal  breath 
that  kindled  its  fires — a heart  throbbing  and  flam- 
ing with  restoring  love — the  eclipse  of  the  soul — 
the  soul  advances  with  a momentum  which  sets  the 
soul  on  fire — bathed  in  the  fire  of  feeling — it  may 
be  the  cold  glitter  of  the  aurora  borealis,  but  never 
the  vivifying  beam  of  fervid  noon — the  minister’s  is 
a glow  which  kindles,  without  crazing  his  powers — 
a chilling  medium  to  congeal  the  stream  of  life — 
the  flashing  light  from  the  gathered  clouds  has  fol- 
lowed the  sleep  of  the  elements — fallen  in  oblivion 
along  the  track  of  ages — that  midnight  hour  of  our 
era — earthquake  shocks  of  bloody  revolution — ele- 
ments of  stupendous  energy — fiery  test  of  wild  phi- 
losophy— noonday  period — the  arch  of  heaven  fails 
to  span  the  globe — bridge  slung  across  this  fancied 
gulf — undimmed  luster  of  moral  nature — the  mighty 
son  of  Manoah — sunbeams  may  paint  the  flowers 
with  beauty  and  enrich  the  clouds  with  splendor — 
the  division  of  attention  is  the  grave  of  enthu- 
siasm— magnitude  of  peerless  powers  — like  the 
granite  peaks  of  ancient  mountains.”  Every  page 
of  Dempster’s  glitters  with  gems  like  these.  But 
we  must  hasten  to  other  scenes  in  which  Dempster 
is  to  take  a part.  Meantime  he  sleeps  well,  and 
hundreds  rise  up  to  call  him  blessed. 

Is  it  of  any  account  to  look  upon  the  person  and 
form  of  Dr.  Dempster  ? Go  with  us.  In  the  Au- 
tumn of  1855  we  passed  into  the  noon  train  from 
the  depot  at  Morris,  bound  for  the  Rock  Island 


EVANSTON  AND  ITS  SCHOOLS, 


419 


Conference.  The  cars  were  full  of  preachers,  mem- 
bers of  the  conference.  The  train  halted  at  La- 
salle.  Just  under  our  window  a man  from  the  cars, 
with  linen-duster  over  a swallow-tailed  broad-cloth 
coat,  was  walking  briskly  back  and  forth  to  set  the 
blood  in  motion  and  enliven  the  cramped  limbs. 
Thin,  shriveled,  small  in  stature,  with  protuberant 
nose,  wearing  a mussy  wig,  we  saw  a man  that 
might  have  been  taken  for  a mummy  or  an  ancient 
Jew.  When  a neighbor  observed  that  the  specter 
was  Dr.  Dempster  we  were  astounded.  The  great 
Dr.  Dempster,  of  whom  we  had  heard  so  much,  was 
in  our  imagination  grand  in  appearance.  Had  we 
been  told  that  Bishop  Ames  was  Dempster  we 
should  have  met  our  idea.  We  found,  not  long 
after,  that  under  this  form  of  age  there  was  the 
fire  of  youth.  J.  Y.  Watson  says:  ^^[Gazing  upon 
his  thin,  sallow,  flabby  cheeks,  his  mouth,  which 
shows  the  marks  of  time,  . . . his  only  skin-cov- 
ered brow,  which  projects  over  piercing,  restless 
eyes,  like  a promontory,  we  behold  a man.’^  He 
was  the  most  easy,  intelligent  converser  in  social 
life  we  ever  met  with.  Never  shall  we  forget  a 
half  day\s  intercourse  enjoyed  with  Dr,  Dempster. 
During  a ride  together  we  were  discussing  the 
great  preachers  he  had  heard.  After  hearing  so 
many  great  men,  doctor,^^  we  observed,  is  it  not 
rather  a task  to  listen  to  common  men  ? I should 
think  you  had  risen  so  high  in  this  experience 
you  could  hardly  listen  to  ordinary  men/^  I 
should  call  that  coming  down,’^  he  said.  I 
often  hear,’^  he  continued,  sermons  from  our  Bib- 


420 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Heal  students  that  come  to  me  rich  as  the  bread  of 
life/^  This  conversation  occurred  in  the  regions  of 
Waukegan  where  spiritualism  was  rife.  The  doctor 
advised  the  writer  to  attend  circles,  and,  discover- 
ing the  processes,  be  ready  to  meet  the  fallacies.  He 
pressed  this  as  a duty.  We  took  his  advice,  and, 
after  much  observation,  adopted  views  which  were 
published  in  1858  in  the  National  Magazine,  which 
have  been  generally  adopted  since.  We  discovered, 
almost  to  a certainty,  that  of  the  portion  of  spirit- 
manifestations  that  is  not  humbug  one-half  was 
mesmerism,  the  other  half  insanity.  The  most 
noted  medium  we  ever  saw  was  as  evidently  insane 
as  any  person  in  Bedlam.  We  have  since,  on  fuller 
information,  found  that  the  real  manifestations  are 
one-third  mesmerism,  one-third  insanity,  and  the  re- 
mainder the  effects  of  drugs — hashish  being  most 
used. 

The  Rock  River  Conference  will  appreciate  this 
venerable  member  of  their  body  more  and  more  as 
the  years  roll  away  and  his  works  show  their  stu- 
penduous  results.  His  student's,  looking  back  adown 
successful  careers,  will  reverently  pronounce  the 
old  man  eloquent’^  blessed  above  all  others.  They 
will  go  to  his  tomb,  as  to  a Mecca,  to  catch  inspira- 
tion from  memory,  and  when  the  trifling  world- 
seeker  is  forgotten  of  men  and  angels  Dr.  Dempster 
will  live  on,  both  in  earth  and  in  heaven. 


BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE. 


421 


CHA.F>TER  XXVI. 

THE  BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE  AND  NORTHWESTERN 
ADVOCATE. 

IN  a former  chapter  we  said,  in  1854  Dr.  Dempster 
turned  his  attention  to  the  West.  There  Provi- 
dence wonderfully  prepared  his  way  before  him.  A 
poor  ragged  boy  in  East  Tennessee  who  became  a 
minister,  an  auctioneer  in  the  marts  of  Chicago,  a 
keeper  of  a tin  store  in  Eastern  New  York — these 
are  the  elements  out  of  which  the  Garrett  Bibli- 
cal Institute  is  to  arise. 

In  the  Fall  of  1835  and  Winter  of  1836  the 
best  place  that  boys  could  find  to  amuse  themselves 
through  the  long  Winter  evenings  in  Chicago  was 
at  an  auction-room  on  the  corner  of  Dearborn  and 
South  Water  Streets.  A musical  man,  full  of  wit 
and  curious  pranks,  there  kept  throngs  in  giddy 
merriment  as  he  cried  off  his  goods  with  the  eu- 
phonious, Going,  going,  going.’^  Each  day  a black 
man,  George  White  by  name,  dressed  fantastically, 
riding  an  old  gray  horse  and  ringing  a bell,  prome- 
naded the  streets,  crying,  Auction  and  at  night 
the  fluent  auctioneer  would  gather  in  the  golden 
coins  from  the  highest  bidders.’^  This  auctioneer 
was  Augustus  Garrett,  who  thus  made  money  which 
invested  became  the  foundation  of  the  Biblical  In- 


422 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


stitute.  He  afterward  became  the  richest  man  in 
Chicago,  and  was  several  times  mayor  of  the  city. 
In  1829  Mr.  Garrett  married  Miss  Eliza  Clark,  and 
started  West  to  seek  his  fortune.  A few  years  after 
marriage  the  couple  removed  to  Cincinnati,  then  to 
New  Orleans,  then  to  Natchitoches,  Texas.  While  go- 
ing down  the  Mississippi,  to  New  Orleans,  they  were 
called  to  the  sad  duty  of  landing  for  the  purpose 
of  burying  their  first  born,  a daughter  of  four  years 
of  age,  who  died  of  cholera.  At  Natchitoches  they 
lost  a son,  which  was  their  only  surviving  child. 
After  this  we  believe  they  had  no  children.  In 
1834  they  came  North,  and  settled  in  Chicago.  At 
those  glorious  revival  meetings  held  by  Peter  R. 
Borein — the  Tennessee  boy  converted — in  Clark 
Street  Church,  in  1839,  Augustus  Garrett  and  his 
wife  were  converted,  and  immediately  united  with 
the  Methodist  Church.  Mrs.  Garrett  remained  a 
faithful  member  until  her  death,  in  1855.  Mr.  Gar- 
rett returned  to  fhe  world  in  a year  or  two,  and  be- 
came prodigiously  wicked.  Under  the  labors  of 
W.  M.  D.  Ryan  he  professed  religion  again  in  1846, 
and  frequently,  in  the  basement  of  the  old  brick 
church,  he  would  give  simple,  child-like  recitals, 
that  would  melt  the  whole  congregation  to  tears. 
One  evening,  when  raising  money  to  finish  the  base- 
ment, he  offered  to  cover  every  five  dollars  given 
with  another  five,  and  in  this  way  he  gave  seventy- 
five  dollars.  He  had  vicious  habits,  the  most  un- 
conquerable, and  in  a few  months  again  fell  away, 
and  in  1848  died,  leaving  no  word  of  encourage- 
ment to  those  left  behind  him.  Mrs.  Garrett  was 


BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE. 


423 


born  near  Newbury,  New  York,  March  5, 1805,  and 
had  in  her  youth  the  advantages  of  a religious 
training.  After  joining  the  Church,  in  1839,  she 
became  a consistent  Christian,  and  though  living  in 
the  best  house  in  the  city  and  visited  by  the  rich 
and  gay,  she  was  ever  faithful  in  attendance  to 
Church,  and  was  scarcely  ever  absent  from  her  class. 
For  years  she  was  a member  of  D.  M.  Bradley’s 
class,  which  met  at  four  o’clock  Sunday  afternoon. 
The  writer  is  nearly  the  only  member  of  that  old 
class  that  survives.  At  Mr.  Garrett’s  death,  in  1848, 
Mrs.  Garrett  became  possessed  of  one-half  of  the 
property,  and  from  this  time  she  was  solicitous  that 
her  means  should  serve  the  best  ends.  Grant  Good- 
rich had  been  the  attorney  of  the  family,  and  to  him 
Mrs.  Garrett  made  application  for  aid  in  making  a 
will.  From  the  first  she  was  inclined  to  the  found- 
ing of  an  educational  institution  of  some  sort.  Grant 
Goodrich  suggested  the  founding  of  a school  for  the 
education  of  ministers.  She  observed  that  such  a 
purpose  had  for  some  time  been  the  subject  of  her 
thoughts,  and,  wishing  the  judgment  of  others,  she 
concluded  to  consult  her  pastor,  John  Clark.  On 
consulting  him,  he  not  knowing  her  views,  advised 
the  same  thing.  A few  days  after.  Dr.  Kidder,  being 
in  the  city,  expressed  a desire  for  a Biblical  school 
in  the  West,  and  wondered  if  Mrs.  Garrett  might  not 
be  induced  to  found  such  a school.  Her  intention 
being  made  known,  he  visited  her  to  encourage  her 
in  the  great  purpose.  Her  old  pastor.  Hooper  Crews, 
also  gave  the  same  advice.  Thus  led  by  these  united 
opinions  she  concluded  Providence  indicated  such 


424 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


a disposition  of  her  property,  and  accordingly,  her 
will  was  prepared,  devoting  two-thirds  of  her  means 
to  a Biblical  institute. 

At  her  death  the  property,  which  consisted  oi 
lots  and  buildings  in  Chicago,  was  worth  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  In  January,  1854,  a few 
months  after  Mrs.  Garrett  made  her  will.  Dr.  Demp- 
ster visited  the  West,  with  the  intention  of  planting 
in  this  part  of  the  country  an  institution  akin  to  the 
one  at  Concord.  On  arriving  at  Chicago,  he  found 
his  way  had  been  mysteriously  prepared  before  him. 
While  Mrs.  Garrett  lived  she  would  only  accept  four 
hundred  dollars  a year  for  her  own  support,  wishing 
to  leave  all  for  so  noble  a purpose.  On  the  23d  of 
November,  1855,  Mrs.  Garrett  passed  away  from 
this  world.  After  a short  sickness  of  but  a day  or 
two  she  died.  In  dying  she  lifted  up  her  hands  in 
holy  triumph,  exclaiming  : Bless  the  Lord,  O,  my 

soul  and  without  a struggle  slept ! On  Sunday 
she  was  in  her  place  at  Church ; on  Thursday  gone ! 

On  the  26th  of  December,  1853,  a meeting  of 
the  Church  in  Chicago  was  called  to  devise  means 
to  set  the  institute  in  motion.  A committee  was 
appointed  to  secure  the  immediate  erection  of  a 
building,  and  to  provide  means  for  sustaining  the 
school.  A suitable  building  was  commenced  in 
July,  1854,  and  in  January,  1855,  the  first  term  of 
the  school  was  opened,  with  John  Dempster,  William 
Goodfellow,  and  W.  P.  Wright  as  teachers.  The 
first  term  commenced  with  four  students  and  closed 
with  sixteen.  The  second  commenced  with  twelve 
and  closed  with  nineteen.  In  1857  D.  P.  Kidder, 


BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE. 


425 


D.  D.,  and  H.  Bannister,  D.  D.,  were  elected  as 
professors,  with  Dr.  Dempster  in  charge. 

In  June,  1864,  Dr.  Miner  Raymond,  who  had 
won  lasting  laurels  as  principal  of  Wilbraham  Sem- 
inary, was  elected  to  fill  Dr.  Dempster’s  place.  At 
the  session  of  the  Rock  River  Conference  in  1854 
the  institute  was  cordially  received  to  its  confidence, 
and  the  preachers  pledged  their  patronage  and 
support  of  the  noble  and  evangelical  enterprise  in 
which  they  (our  brethren  of  Chicago)  have  en- 
gaged.” But  while  such  resolutions  were  passed 
there  were  many  misgivings  among  the  members  as 
to  the  usefulness  of  the  new  scheme.  It  was  feared 
that  the  young  preachers  would  issue  from  the  halls 
of  the  institute  flippant,  dry,  sermon  readers.  Even 
Dr.  Eddy,  who  was  then  a contributor  to  our  pe- 
riodicals, as  late  as  1857,  gave  a word  of  condemna- 
tion in  an  article  on  Spurgeon  in  the  Ladies^  Re- 
pository. But  the  battle  of  the  institutes  had  mainly 
been  fought  out  in  the  East,  and  the  West  surren- 
dered at  discretion.  The  success  of  the  students 
has  belied  all  fears.  They  have  become  our  most 
successful  men.  A large  number  of  the  present 
members  of  the  Rock  River  Conference  have  been 
improved  by  attendance  at  the  institute.  Among 
the  former  and  present  members  of  the  conference 
who  have  been  students  in  the  institute,  and  all 
pupils  of  the  matchless  Dempster,  are  C.  H.  Fowler, 
W.  A.  Smith,  Joseph  Wardel,  James  S.  Chadwick, 
D.  J.  Holmes,  B.  T.  Vincent,  George  Richardson, 
Robert  Bently,  J.  W.  Martin,  and  N.  H.  Axtel. 
The  first  class  graduated  in  1858.  Its  members 

36 


426 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


were  J.  E.  Ayers,  G.  W.  Havermale,  Osmon  Hutchins, 
E.  W.  Jeffries,  J.  W.  Sovereign,  and  M.  H.  Twiggs; 
the  class  of  1859  were  A.  L.  Cooper,  J.  W.  Waugh ; 
of  1860,  Wayne  Carver,  R.  N.  Earhart,  W.  H.  Glass, 
Alexander  Hall,  and  Warren  Taplin.  Those  in 
italics  became  members  of  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference. 

The  history  of  Methodism  in  Evanston  is  en- 
veloped in  the  history  of  its  schools.  From  the 
first  professors  and  students  have  united  in  Church 
fellowship,  and  as  soon  as  the  town  was  laid  out  it 
became  the  country  home  of  many  Chicago  Metho- 
dists. A plain  church  to  serve  for  a time  was  built 
in  1856,  and  ever  since  there  have  been  well  sus- 
tained Church  interests  with  occasional  revivals. 

The  period  we  are  sketching  from  1850  to  1855 
gave  us  another  agency  that  has  been  a thing  of 
note  among  us.  The  Northwestern  Christian  Advo- 
cate began  its  career  in  January,  1853.  Zion^s  Her- 
ald, the  first  Methodist  newspaper  in  the  world,  was 
commenced  under  the  patronage  of  a few  preachers 
and  laymen  in  Boston  in  1823.  Before  this  there 
was  both  in  England  and  America  a monthly  mag- 
azine. In  1789  a monthly  paper  called  the  Ar- 
minian  Magazine  was  started  in  Philadelphia.  It 
terminated  in  two  years.  In  1818  the  Methodist 
Magazine,  since  changed  to  the  Quarterly  Review, 
was  commenced.  Zion^s  Herald  was  a small  paper 
nineteen  by  thirty  inches  in  size,  five  columns  on  a 
page.  The  Advocate  and  Journal  was  the  same  size 
at  its  commencement — not  one-half  as  large  as  in 
1885.  After  three  years  the  Herald  was  sold  to  the 


NORTHWESTERN  ADVOCATE. 


427 


book  agents,  who  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Advocate  and  Journal  (New  York  Advocate)  Sep- 
tember 9,  1826.  This  paper  was  at  once  a success. 
In  a short  time  its  subscription  list  was  larger  than 
that  of  any  paper  then  in  the  United  States,  having 
about  twenty-five  thousand  subscribers.  B.  Badger 
was  the  editor  of  the  Advocate  at  the  beginning. 
Nathan  Bangs,  however,  wrote  the  editorials.  The 
New  York  Advocate  continued  to  be  the  great  offi- 
cial paper  of  the  whole  Church  until  1834,  when 
the  Western  book  agents  began  to  publish  at  Cin- 
cinnati the  Western  Christian  Advocate^  which  at 
once  became  the  Methodist  paper  for  the  great  West. 
This  began  its  career  May  2, 1834,  with  T.  A.  Morris, 
editor.  This  paper  was  as  familiar  among  us  in 
Illinois  previous  to  1853  as  household  words.^^ 

J.  V.  Watson,  the  first  editor  of  the  North- 
western, was  born  in  London  in  1814,  and  came  to 
the  United  States  when  but  six  years  of  age  with 
his  father^s  family,  who  settled  near  Cincinnati. 
Watson  spent  most  of  his  early  days  on  a farm, 
with  few  educational  advantages.  But  his  desire 
for  knowledge  was  from  the  first  an  unquenchable 
thirst.  Desire  is  generally  accomplishment.  Where 
there  is  a will  there  is  a way,  and  every  book  in 
reach  was  read  and  the  teachings  treasured.  Young 
James  was  converted  in  1828,  when  he  was  but  four- 
teen, under  the  ministry  of  E.  G.  Wood,  and  in 
March,  1832,  was  licensed  to  exhort,  and  the  same 
year  was  received  into  the  Missouri  Conference. 
He  traveled  two  years  in  Missouri  on  circuits,  hun- 
dreds of  miles  in  extent,  where  by  exposure  to  rains 


428 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


and  swamps  he  laid  the  foundation  for  the  spasmodic 
asthma,  a disease  which  after  he  had  battled  with  it 
for  years  ended  his  life.  His  father  dying,  he  re- 
turned to  Indiana,  where  the  family  was  now  living, 
and  joined  the  Indiana  Conference.  He  traveled 
Vevay,  Lawrenceburg,  Franklin,  and  Columbus 
Circuits  in  Indiana,  and  was  appointed  to  White 
Pigeon,  Niles,  Adrian,  Marshall,  Northville,  and 
Detroit  in  Michigan.  During  this  time  he  was  sev- 
eral times  laid  aside  for  ill  health,  and  finally,  in 
1847,  ceased  to  travel  altogether.  He  settled  at 
Adrian,  Michigan,  and  to  support  his  family  pub- 
lihed  a small  paper  called  the  Family  Visitor ^ de- 
voted to  temperance  and  general  morals.  After  a 
time  he,  with  E.  Q.  Fuller  as  a partner,  began  the 
Michigan  Christian  Advocate.  At  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1852  a Book  Depository,  under  charge 
of  the  Methodist  Book  Concern,  was  authorized  to 
be  established  at  Chicago,  and  the  publication  of 
the  Northwestern  Advocate  ordered.  J.  V.  Watson 
was  elected  editor,  with  the  understanding  that  his 
Michigan  Advocate  was  to  be  the  basis  of  the  pub- 
lication. This  was  in  May ; the  first  paper  was  is- 
sued in  January,  1853,  from  No.  63  Randolph  Street. 
Some  years  previous  Mr.  Watson  had  taken  a young 
man  into  his  office  as  clerk,  agent,  and  general 
assistant,  and  finally  as  partner.  This  man  he 
brought  to  Chicago  as  assistant  editor  of  the  North- 
western. Watson^s  mind  was  alive  and  thoughtful, 
but  in  body  he  was  very  feeble.  The  disease  before 
mentioned  ever  kept  him  a prisoner  to  pain,  and 
many  of  the  editorials  were  written  down  by  his 


NORTHWESTERN  ADVOCATE. 


429 


assistant,  E.  Q.  Fuller,  dictated  by  Watson  in  the 
intervals  of  spasms  and  pains  as  he  lay  on  his  couch. 
At  the  time  when  the  Northwestern  was  commenced 
there  were  besides  the  magazines  and  Quarterly , the 
Advocate  and  Journal,  at  New  York;  Zion^s  Herald, 
at  Boston ; the  Northern  Christian  Advocate,  at  Au- 
burn ; the  Pittsburg  Advocate,  and  the  Western  Ad- 
vocate, at  Cincinnati.  The  editor,  living  by  force 
of  will,  gave  his  best  energies  to  the  work  assigned 
him,  and  the  paper  was  popular  from  the  outset. 
By  the  time  the  first  conferences  met  in  1853  it  had 
five  thousand  subscribers,  and  it  paid  its  way  the 
first  year.  In  May,  1855,  it  had  ten  thousand  sub- 
scribers, and  has  since  at  one  time  run  up  to  about 
twenty-nine  thousand.  J.  V.  Watson  was  returned 
to  the  editorship  in  1856,  when  with  new  energy, 
aided  by  the  ever  ready  Fuller,  he  continued  his 
work.  The  editor  and  assistant  worked  together  so 
long  they  became  men  of  one  mind,  and  there  never 
arose  a difference  of  opinion  but  once.  John  Luc- 
cock,  of  the  Central  Illinois  Conference,  made  in 
some  paper — we  have  forgotten  what — a severe  and 
ungenerous  attack  on  Watson.  It  was  irritating, 
and  Watson  fearing  it  might  prejudice  the  members 
of  the  General  Conference  against  him,  prepared  to 
reply.  Fuller  strove  to  persuade  Watson  that  si- 
lence was  the  better  reply.  But  the  General  Con- 
terence  was  at  hand ; there  were  already  other  can- 
didates for  the  editorship  in  the  field,  and  Watson^s 
bread  for  the  time  depended  upon  his  position. 
With  aching  heart  he  groaned  under  the  severe 
words  of  Mr.  Luccock,  and  unwisely  strove  to  parry 


430 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  strokes.  It  was  needless,  and  the  assistant,  for 
once,  was  right,  and  the  editor  wrong.  But  Dr. 
Watson^s  work  was  drawing  near  its  completion. 
He  died  on  the  17th  of  October,  1856,  leaving 
an  article  on  missions  uncompleted,  which  he  had 
been  dictating  the  day  of  his  death.  He  re- 
tained during  these  years  his  membership  in  the 
Detroit  Conference,  and,  though  working  in  our 
limits,  was  never  a member  of  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference. Watson,  as  editor,  succeeded  in  gaining 
the  love  of  all  his  readers.  No  editor  of  the  paper 
can  expect  to  live  personally  so  fully  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people  as  did  Dr.  Watson,  and  when  the  news 
of  his  departure  was  heard  there  went  up  the  voice 
of  mourning  from  the  whole  Methodist  Church  in 
the  West.  W.  P.  Jones,  the  talented  president  of 
the  Female  College,  wrote  for  the  Advocate  a 
requiem,  which  found  responses  in  thousands  of 
souls.  We  can  not  forbear  quoting  from  those 
lines : 

“A  dirge,  0,  a dirge,  through  the  North-west  is  borne ; 

Not  feeble  and  faint,  as  if  felt  by  the  few, 

But  swelling  and  deep  as  when  myriads  mourn, 

As  the  sigh  which  the  heart  of  a Nation  breathes  through. 
There  ^s  a widow^s  loud  wail  and  the  orphan’s  sad  cry, 

The  sound  of  a hearse  and  the  pall-bearers’  tread. 

And  the  toll  of  the  death-bells,  like  sobs  in  the  sky. 

And  the  moaning  of  thousands  that  follow  the  dead. 

The  watchmen  of  Zion  tread  slowly  the  walls. 

And  their  eyes  have  grown  dim  ’neath  a curtain  of  tears, 
And  the  strong  men  of  Science  bow  low  in  their  halls 
As  the  passing  lament  sadly  falls  on  their  ears ! 

He  is  gone,  he  is  gone,  the  fond  guide  of  our  youth. 

The  light  of  our  councils  has  passed  from  our  sight; 


NORTHWESTERN  ADVOCATE. 


431 


A hero  has  fallen,  a soldier  of  truth, 

A prince  in  the  armies  of  freedom  and  right. 

The  types  click  a requiem  all  through  the  land ; 

Yea,  the  press  tolls  a knell  for  the  nation  to  hear, 

And  the  wail  for  the  wreck  of  the  death  angel’s  wand 
Is  bursting  from  millions  afar  off  and  near. 

A moan  on  the  south  wind  bleathes  plaintive  and  low. 
From  the  slave  for  whose  rights  he  so  nobly  hath  plead ; 
And  the  east  wind  comes  laden  with  soul-burdened  woe. 
From  the  missions  for  whose  weal  his  last  words  were  said. 

To  westward  wronged  Kansas  lamenteth  the  fall 
Of  her  eloquent  pleader  so  hushed  into  clay. 

And  the  North ! ’t  was  his  home — O,  bereaved  are  we  all. 

Not  a heart  but  is  craped  and  wears  sackcloth  to-day. 
Here  his  coffin,  his  widow,  his  orphans  we  view'; 

And  a dirge,  aye,  a dirge,  through  the  North-w  est  is  borne. 
Not  feeble  and  faint,  as  if  breathed  by  the  few. 

But  swelling  and  deep,  for  our  myriads  mourn. 


He  toiled  at  his  post  till  the  death  sleep  came  on ; 

Why  would  ye  awake  him  ? Let  him  rest  till  the  morn !” 

The  book  committee  met  soon  after  Dr.  Wat- 
son^s  death,  and  Thomas  M.  Eddy,  then  presiding 
elder  on  Indianapolis  District,  was  chosen  to  the 
editorial  office.  He  was  returned  to  this  office  in 
1860,  and  again  in  1864,  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence. Dr.  Eddy  was  the  son  of  Augustus  Eddy, 
an  old  and  efficient  minister,  who  has  filled  important 
positions  on  charges  and  as  presiding  elder  in  Ohio 
and  Indiana.  Thomas  M.  was  born,  we  believe,  in 
Cincinnati,  at  least  in  Ohio,  about  1823,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Indiana  Conference,  in  which  his 
father,  at  the  time,  was  a member,  in  1842,  and  ap- 


4e32 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


pointed  junior  preacher  with  Amos  Bussey  on  Man- 
chester Circuit.  His  appointments  thereafter  were, 
in  1843,  junior  on  Canaan  Circuit,  with  his  father 
as  presiding  elder;  1844,  in  the  same  relation  on 
Lexington  Circuit.  Verily,  young  men  did  not 
then  graduate  to  the  first  charges  in  a year.  Slower 
in  growth  longer  to  remain,  is  a rule.  In  1845 
Eddy  was  alone,  a rising  man  at  Rising  Sun;  in 
1846-47,  in  charge  of  Vevay  Circuit,  just  twelve 
years  after  J.  V.  Watson  was  on  the  same  charge ; in 
1848  and  1849,  at  Jeffersonville  ; in  1850-51,  at  Third 
Street,  Madison;  in  1852-53,  at  Brookville,  in  the 
South-eastern  Indiana  Conference.  In  1854,  to  avoid 
passing  into  the  ranks  of  the  ancient  and  honorable 
superannuates,  he  took  a Bible  agency,  having  charge, 
if  we  mistake  not,  of  the  whole  State  of  Indiana. 
In  1855  he  passed  into  the  ancient,  laborious,  hon- 
orable, and  berated  rank  of  presiding  elders,  doing 
his  part  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  fraternity 
on  the  Indianapolis  District,  from  which  position 
he  was  called  to  the  editorship  in  the  last  days 
of  1856.  From  his  youth  Dr.  Eddy  took  to  scrib- 
ling,  and  in  the  Western  Advocate,  from  1842  to 
1856,  there  are  frequent  contributions,  witty,  spicy, 
wise,  and  otherwise,  superscribed  by  the  tell-tale 
letters,  T.  M.  E.^^  The  first  that  he  came  to  our 
notice  was  on  this  wise : Dr.  TefFt,  some  time  in 
1849,  published  a notice  of  a Greek  Lexicon  in  the 
Repository,  on  which  he  remarked  that  he  could  not 
see  how  a preacher  could  get  along  without  the  knowl- 
edge of  Greek.  For  this  Dr.  Tefft  was  taken  to 
task  in  the  columns  of  the  Western  by  Dr.  Trimble 


NOE  THWES TERN  AD  VOCA  TE, 


433 


and  T.  M.  Tefflt  answered  them,  saying 

that  such  and  such  things  had  been  objected  to  by 
Dr.  Trimble,  arid  also  by  ^^a  young  man  some- 
where in  Indiana.^^  After  this,  at  times,  Eddy  sub- 
scribed his  contributions  with  the  significant  epi- 
thet, Young  Man  Somewhere  in  Indiana.^^ 
After  Dr.  Clark  became,  in  1853,  editor  of  the 
Repository,  Mr.  Eddy  began  to  be  a regular  con- 
tributor, and  by  Dr.  Clarkes  request  wrote  a series 
of  very  interesting  articles,  giving  a connected  sum- 
mary of  travels  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  At  the 
General  Conference,  at  Indianapolis  in  1856,  when 
the  editor  of  the  Northwestern  was  being  bal- 
loted for.  Dr.  Eddy  received  sixty-nine  votes,  while 
Dr.  Watson  received  one  hundred  and  thirty-two. 
Mr.  Eddy  was  not  elected,  but  the  vote  pointed  to 
the  coming  man,  and  directed  the  book  committee 
to  him  when  they  were  called  to  fill  Mr.  Watson’s 
place. 

Dr.  Eddy  at  once  took  a transfer  to  the  Rock 
River  Conference,  and  was  present  for  the  first  time 
at  Rockford,  in  1857.  At  his  first  appearance  he 
did  not  make  the  best  impression.  There  was 
something  flippant,  dictatorial,  and  sarcastic  in  his 
manner  that  grated  on  the  feelings  of  those  who 
look  for  supreme  dignity  in  connection  with  talent. 
But  he  not  only  grew  in  the  esteem  of  the  members 
of  the  conference,  but  really  improved  in  caliber  as 
a man,  and  the  weight  of  years  added  the  gravity 
of  wisdom.  In  1860, 1864,  and  1868,  he  was  chosen 
to  represent  the  conference  in  the  General  Con- 
ference. 


434 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


In  1864  Eev.  Arthur  Edwards,  of  the  Detroit 
Conference,  became  associate  editor  of  the  North- 
western. The  circulation  of  the  paper  has  steadily 
increased,  and  in  1864  it  reached  twenty-nine  thou- 
sand five  hundred  copies,  and  would  have  gone  much 
higher  in  1865  had  not  the  rise  in  the  price  of  paper 
caused  the  agents  to  put  its  price  up  to  three  dollars. 
It  was  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  in  1862.  Arthur 
Edwards  became  editor  in  1872. 

At  the  same  time  that  the  Northwestern  began 
its  career,  a Book  Depositoky  was  established  in 
Chicago.  In  1773,  in  the  first  minutes  of  American 
Methodism  ever  published,  the  following  item  ap- 
pears : None  of  the  preachers  are  to  reprint  any 

of  Mr.  Wesley^s  books  without  his  authority  (when 
it  can  be  gotten)  and  the  consent  of  their  brethren. 
Robert  Williams  to  sell  the  books  he  has  already 
printed,  but  to  print  no  more,  unless  under  the 
above  restrictions.^V  What  was  the  cause  of  this 
order?  Jesse  Lee  tells  us  that,  previous  to  the 
passage  of  this  rule,  Robert  Williams,  one  of  the 
preachers,  had  reprinted  many  of  Mr.  Wesley ^s 
books,  and  had  spread  them  through  the  country, 
to  the  great  advantage  of  religion.  The  sermons 
which  he  printed  in  small  pamphlets  had  a good 
effect,  . . . and  they  opened  the  way  in  many  places 
for  our  preachers  to  be  invited  to  preach  where  they 
had  never  been  before.^^  But,  notwithstanding  the 
good  that  had  been  done,  it  was  necessary  for 
the  preachers  to  be  united  in  the  one  scheme  of 
printing  and  selling,  so  that  the  profits  might  be 
divided  among  them,  for  in  those  days  they  divided 


THE  BOOK  CONCERN, 


435 


their  receipts,  even  to  wedding  fees.  Robert  Will- 
iams had  begun  a scheme,  which  grew  into  the 
Methodist  Book  Concern.  In  1787  provision  was 
made  for  the  printing  of  books,  most  of  which  print- 
ing was  done  in  New  York.  In  1789  among  the 
appointments  we  read  this : Philadelphia,  John 

Dickins,  book  steward.”  Philip  Cox  is  simply  ap- 
pointed book  steward.”  The  work  Mr.  Cox  was 
expected  to  do  was  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  a mod- 
ern colporteur.  The  Minutes  of  1794  say:  ^^His 
last  services  were  great  in  circulating  so  many 
hundred  books.” 

John  Dickins  began  his  Book  Concern”  in  1789, 
with  a capital  of  six  hundred  dollars,  his  own  money 
lent  to  the  Church.  The  first  entry  in  the  books 
of  the  institution  is  in  his  own  handwriting,  dated 
August  17,  1789,  showing  that  the  first  book  issued 
was  Wesley’s  abridged  translation  of  Thomas  a 
Kempis’s  Imitation  of  Christ.”  Dickins  also  began 
this  year  the  first  volume  of  the  Arminian  Maga- 
zine^ a mere  reprint  of  the  English  publication  of 
that  name.  Before  the  year  closed  he  published  the 
Discipline,  Hymn  Book,  Baxter’s  Saints’  Rest,  and 
Wesley’s  Primitive  Physic. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  those  Methodist  pub- 
lishing houses  which  excel  any  thing  in  the  world 
of  their  kind.  There  were  in  1865  two  publish- 
ing houses,  five  depositories,  a capital  of  eight  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  twelve  editors,  five  hundred 
clerks  and  operatives,  with  nearly  thirty  thousand 
different  publications  on  the  catalogue,  and  fourteen 
periodicals  with  a circulation  averaging  a million 


436 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


copies  per  month.  The  sales  of  the  New  York 
Concern  alone,  from  March,  1854,  to  March,  1855, 
amounted  to  six  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand 
dollars.  In  1820  a publishing  house  for  the  West 
was  established  in  Cincinnati,  with  Martin  Ruter 
as  agent.  The  books  for  many  years  were  brought 
in  wagons  across  the  mountains  to  Pittsburg,  and 
shipped  down  the  Ohio.  The  Depository  ordered 
at  the  General  Conference  in  May,  1852,  was  opened 
in  Chicago  in  a brick  building  on  the  north  side  of 
Randolph  Street,  between  Dearborn  and  State  Street, 
at  No  63,”  under  the  care  of  that  affable  gentle- 
man, William  M.  Doughty,  who  came  from  a con- 
nection of  fifteen  years  as  clerk  with  the  Book 
Concern  at  Cincinnati.  The  Depository  prospered 
under  Doughty’s  careful  management  from  the  be- 
ginning. March  31,  1854,  after  it  had  been  open 
fourteen  months,  the  agent  reported  thirty-four 
thousand  dollars’  worth  as  the  amount  of  book  sales, 
and  eighteen  thousand  dollars^  worth  as  the  amount 
of  periodical  sales.  The  sales  amounted  to  five 
thousand  dollars  in  the  first  two  months.  ^^Sixty- 
three  Randolph”  was  a two-story  brick,  with  editors’ 
office  above  and  book-store  below.  In  1857  the 
agents  put  up  a four-story  building  at  ^^66  Wash- 
ington Street,”  and  that  year  the  Book  Concern 
and  the  Northwestern  office  were  moved  to  the  ex- 
cellent quarters  occupied  until  the  fire  of  1871. 
In  1863  the  concern  began  to  do  its  own  press 
work. 

For  ten  years  the  forms  ” had  been  carted  about 
town  in  search  of  a press,  liable  to  many  a jolting 


THE  BOOK  CONCERN. 


437 


accident.  Tired  of  this  dependence,  in  1864  a Hoe 
double  cylinder  press,  capable  of  printing  three 
thousand  sheets  an  hour,  was  set  up,  and  in  1865 
they  printed,  folded,  and  labeled  by  machinery.  In 
June,  1864,  William  M.  Doughty  retired  to  enter 
other  business,  and  Luke  Hitchcock,  the  assistant 
agent  at  Cincinnati,  moved  to  Chicago  to  superin- 
tend the  rising  concern.  Mr.  Doughty  was  a pleas- 
ant gentleman,  a competent  business  man,  who  won 
friends  whenever  he  came  in  contact  with  the 
preachers  of  the  North-west.  New  hands,  new 
energies,  and  new  times  will  give  us  in  time  the 
Northwestern  Book  Concern.  It  would  be  a curious 
thing  to  know  what  the  future  editors  and  agents 
are  now  doing.  Some  boy  in  some  nook  of  the 
world  now,  it  may  be,  reading  the  Northwestern  is 
to  arise  and  govern  its  issues.  Would  he  not  trem- 
ble if  he  knew  his  destiny? 

But  we  have  walked  around  these  monuments 
of  literature  long  enough.  Turn  we  again  to  the 
regular  work.^^  There  are  other  heroes  besides 
professors  and  editors. 


438 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPITER  XXVII. 

CONFERENCES  OF  1855  AND  1856. 

The  conference  met  at  Rock  Island  in  1855, 
Bishop  Janes  presiding.  The  doings  were 
regularly  reported  in  the  Chicago  Democratic  Press 
(now  Tribune)  by  the  writer  of  these  veritable  pages, 
it  being  the  first  time  the  conference  was  reported. 
Since  then  the  doings  have  been  regularly  reported. 
Dr.  Dempster  and  his  teachers  appeared  to  represent 
the  new  institute  at  Evanston,  and  by  request  of  the 
conference  Dr.  Dempster  lectured  to  the  preachers 
every  day  at  one  and  a half  P.  M.  in  the  Baptist 
Church.  The  first  lecture  was  delivered  on  Thurs- 
day, and  was  introductory  to  a course  on  pulpit 
speaking.  The  points  made  were.  The  right  use  of 
words,  and  importance  of  effort  in  attaining  pulpit 
acceptability.  His  thoughts  were  grand.  On  Fri- 
day he  spoke  of  the  end  to  be  attained  by  oratory, 
which  is,  to  move  the  will.  The  steps  to  be  pur- 
sued are,  to  convince  the  understanding,  excite  the 
imagination,  stir  up  the  sensibilities,  creating  desires 
and  hope.  On  Sunday  morning,  at  seven  o’clock, 
the  doctor  gave  his  sermon  on  Divine  Providence. 
It  was  read  in  rather  a dull  way,  but  created  a fine 
impression.  It  was  the  first  time  we  ever  heard 
people  shout,  and  saw  them  weep  at  mere  thought. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1866. 


439 


Among  the  visitors  was  Jesse  T.  Peck,  who 
preached  with  great  acceptance.  Bishop  Janes,  in 
his  address  to  the  deacons,  gave  out  utterances  such 
as  we  never  before  heard  from  human  lips.  The 
conference  was  a very  pleasant  one,  and  memorable 
as  the  last  meeting  together  of  the  preachers  who 
then  constituted  the  conference,  as  the  next  May 
the  Central  Illinois  Conference  was  organized.  At 
this  conference  four  members  were  brought  up 
charged  with  holding  erroneous  views.  Much  ref- 
erence was  made  to  the  Biblical  Institute  and  to 
Dr.  Dempster,  who  was  the  first  D.  D.  the  confer- 
ence had  ever  had  among  its  members.  All  this 
was  irritating  to  Dr.  Dempster,  and  was,  indeed,  a 
breach  of  good  manners.  At  last  one  of  those  com- 
plained of  said  he  would  agree  to  whatever  views 
Dr.  Dempster  said  were  correct.  At  this,  the  doc- 
tor arose  indignant,  remarking  that  he  hoped  the 
conference  was  not  prepared  to  institute  a pope.^^ 
This  at  once  stopped  the  folly,  and  never  since 
have  we  had  flings  at  the  doctors. 

The  preachers  received  on  trial  who  have  filled 
appointments  in  the  bounds  of  the  conference  were 
Calvin  Brookins,  a quiet,  useful,  pious  man,  who 
won  friends  everywhere,  and  who,  if  he  had  had 
good  health,  would  have  been  one  of  our  most 
worthy  men,  and  who  died  September  25,  1881; 
George  J.  Bliss,  a small,  black-eyed  man  full  of 
snap;  James  Coleman,  born  in  Maine,  educated 
at  Greencastle,  Indiana,  under  President  Simpson, 
and  who  possessed  a Dempsterian  mind,  minus  the 
imagination,  but  being  uncouth  and  unsocial  in 


440 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


manner  never  showed  the  real  strength  there  was 
in  him;  Samuel  Bundock,  an  Englishman  ad- 
vanced in  life,  of  moderate  talents,  but  of  accepta- 
bility and  usefulness;  Thomas  H.  Hagerty,  a 
zealous,  good-hearted  young  man,  who  was  in  1865 
presiding  elder  in  Missouri;  J.  C.  Stover,  brother 
of  S.  Stover,  who  would  have  done  somewhat  had 
he  possessed  studious  habits  equal  to  his  will,  and 
had  not  been  under  Nazarite  tuition;  and  I.  H, 
Grant,  a quiet  man,  slow  and  sure.  Among  the 
transfers  were  W.  B.  Slaughter,  an  efficient, 
whole-souled  man  from  the  Genesee  Conference, 
and  Charles  P.  Bragdon,  a man  of  noted  rela- 
tions, who,  educated  at  Cazenovia,  had  commenced 
traveling  in  Maine,  and  had  traveled  in  Massachu- 
setts and  kept  a book  agency  in  Auburn.  He  was 
a man  of  energy  and  will,  zealous  for  Methodism, 
and  withal  a little  ultra.  Whatever  he  opposed, 
whether  it  was  slavery  or  tobacco,  he  opposed  as 
though  the  ^^old  serpent  was  in  it.  He  had  a hard 
time  at  Waukegan  from  1855  to  1857  with  the 
Spiritualists.  In  1859  he  was  appointed  to  Evans- 
ton, and  when  the  conference  met  at  Chicago  in 
1860  he  lay  near  unto  death  with  consumption. 
Not  long  after  conference  he  died,  going  up,  we 
believe,  to  the  heavenly  land.  He  died  January  8, 
1861.  Another  transfer  was  D.  H.  Sherman,  who 
while  stationed  at  St.  Charles  in  1856  had  the  credit 
of  introducing  Dr.  Redfield  into  the  West,  for  which 
we  do  not  thank  him.  W.  T.  Harlow  came  this 
year,  being  chosen  principal  of  Rock  River  Semi- 
nary. He  had  been  laboring  for  several  years  in 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


441 


the  regular  work,  and  had  been  presiding  elder  a 
year  or  two  in  the  Providence  Conference.  For 
ten  years  now  he  molded  the  lives  of  young  stu- 
dents, and  rendered  effectual  aid  to  our  preachers 
in  their  work.  Joseph  S.  David,  another  transfer, 
was  raised  mostly  in  Illinois,  but  when  on  a visit 
to  the  East  was  received  into  the  Wyoming  Con- 
ference. A more  useful  preacher,  and  a finer  spirited, 
there  is  not  in  the  conference.  Francis  H.  Reed, 
another  transfer,  came  from  the  Pittsburg  Confer- 
ence, and  in  a year  or  two  went  on  to  Iowa,  where 
in  1865  he  was  presiding  elder,  and  soon  after  died. 

The  new  charges  were  Rockton,  Lena,  Pleasant 
Valley,  Pecatonica,  and  Wyanet.  Rockton  was 
laid  out  as  a town  as  early  as  1839,  and  in  1840  a 
small  class  was  organized  there,  the  place  being  an 
appointment  on  the  Roscoe  Circuit.  In  a year  or 
two  the  appointment  was  discontinued.  The  Con- 
gregationalists  held  the  influence  in  the  town,  and 
as  early  as  1850  built  a fine  stone  church.  In  1855 
L.  S.  Walker,  then  on  the  Roscoe  work,  renewed 
the  appointment  at  Rockton.  L.  Hitchcock,  the 
presiding  elder,  who  always  kept  a watchful  eye  on 
the  rising  country,  sent  a preacher  in  1855  to  Rock- 
ton Mission.  H.  W.  Richardson,  then  young  in  the 
work,  and  zealous  and  warm-hearted,  was  the  first 
preacher.  Social,  religious,  and  driving,  he  was  the 
man  for  the  place.  He  soon  organized  a society, 
and  preached  in  the  stone  school-house  east  of  the 
town,  and  sometimes  in  the  school-house  on  the 
south  side.  The  work  prospered,  and  there  was  a 
revival  in  the  Winter,  and  fifty  persons  were  added 


442 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


to  the  Church.  In  the  Summer  of  1856  the  preacher 
raised  a subscription  for  a church,  and  a building 
was  commenced,  but  it  was  a long  time  before  it 
was  finished.  It  was  finally  dedicated  in  1859. 
When  completed  there  was  a heavy  debt,  which 
came  near  sinking  the  feeble  society.  D.  W. 
Skelton  in  1861  spent  three  months  traveling,  striv- 
ing to  raise  means  from  abroad,  but  he  made  little 
headway,  as  begging  abroad  never  pays  well. 
George  Richardson,  brother  to  H.  W.,  was  sent  on 
in  1861.  Young,  religious,  zealous,  he  began  to 
labor  with  heart  of  hope  on  his  first  charge.  He 
found  a feeble  class,  poor  in  this  world^s  goods,  and 
worse  than  all  much  discouraged  with  a debt  of 
eleven  hundred  dollars  on  hand.  In  August,  1862, 
the  preacher,  aided  by  the  members,  got  up  an  ex- 
cursion to  Camp  Douglas,  Chicago.  There  were 
fifteen  thousand  Fort  Donelson  prisoners  there  to 
attract,  and  excursions  were  a new  thing.  The 
train  set  out  from  Rockton  with  eighteen  cars,  all 
of  which  were  filled  at  the  first  two  stations,  and 
hundreds  were  left  behind  along  the  route.  It  was 
a grand  success.  The  profits  amounted  to  eight 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Another  excursion  to 
Savannah  and  across  the  Mississippi  River  in  1863 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  profits, 
which  with  a few  subscriptions  cleared  off  the  debt 
so  that  the  conference  year  closed  with  a society 
cheerful,  religious,  and  prosperous,  and  free  from 
debt,  worshiping  in  the  neatest  church  in  town, 
and  a Sunday-school  averaging  eighty  in  attendance. 
There  was  a wide-spreading  revival  in  1862,  which 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856, 


443 


brought  into  the  Church  many  prominent  members. 
H.  W.  Richardson  raised  the  subscription  in  1856, 
and  his  brother  George  in  1863  paid  up  the  debts 
on  the  church  and  set  the  society  free  to  pursue  a 
useful  course.  How  fitting  is  the  right  man  in  the 
right  place. 

Many  new  charges  and  new  names  began  to  ap- 
pear at  this  time  as  a result  of  the  new  railways. 
In  1850  there  was  perhaps  forty  miles  of  railroad 
in  the  bounds  of  the  conference;  in  1856  nearly  all 
the  roads  now  running  in  our  bounds  were  completed 
and  in  running  order.  Ever  since  the  railway  sta- 
tions have  been  forming  the  head-quarters  of  new  ap- 
pointments. The  old  classes  of  the  country  circuits 
moved  to  the  nearest  stations,  and  building  churches 
became  independent  charges.  Lena,  Pecatonica, 
and  Wyanet  were  instances  of  this  change  this 
year.  Many  of  these  stations,  as  Polo,  arose  near 
where  there  had  been  appointments  from  the  earli- 
est day ; others,  as  Ogle  and  Mendota,  grew  up  on 
the  prairies,  where  there  were  no  settlers  until  the 
railroads  passed  through.  The  last  are  the  most 
numerous.  Mendota,  one  of  our  best  towns,  was 
wild  unsettled  prairie  in  1854.  The  delegates  elected 
to  General  Conference  were  G.  L.  Mulfinger,  L. 
Hitchcock,  J.  Dempster,  R.  Haney,  H.  Crews,  J. 
Luccock,  J.  Morey,  and  H.  Summers. 

The  conference  met  in  1856,  at  Aurora,  and 
Bishop  Simpson  first  appeared  in  our  midst.  Dur- 
ing the  session  the  corner-stone  of  Clark  Seminary 
was  laid,  addresses  on  the  occasion  being  deliv- 
ered by  Bishops  Janes  and  Simpson.  Both  efforts 


444 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


were  the  poorest  we  ever  heard  from  those  elegant 
men.  Old  Rock  River  Seminary  had  ever  been  in 
debt,  and  had  been  supported  by  the  contributions 
of  preachers  and  people.  The  originators  of  Clark 
Seminary  promised  us  a joint-stock  affair  that  should 
pay  its  way  and  make  money  besides.  They  under- 
took a grand  scheme,  named  their  ambitious  insti- 
tution after  John  Clark,  who  had  died  at  Aurora 
in  1854,  and  elected  Rev.  G.  W.  Quereau  principal — 
a man  who  was  appreciated  the  more  he  was  known. 
An  imposing  building  was  erected,  costing  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and,  so  far  as  the  conference 
knew,  all  was  going  on  swimmingly.  But  at  the 
conference  of  1862,  at  Joliet,  Aurora  preachers  strove 
to  get  the  ear  of  the  conference  to  say  somewhat 
about  the  debts  of  Clark  Seminary.  Invidious 
comparisons  were  made  between  it  and  Rock  River 
Seminary,  and  the  preachers,  expecting  to  hear  of 
its  prosperity,  had  no  time  to  listen  to  those  who 
sought  to  speak.  The  conference  closed  really  not 
knowing,  nor  caring  to  know,  what  Stoughton, 
Keyes  and  Co.  wanted  to  say.  Those  brethren  had 
something  to  say  worth  listening  to,  but  it  was  just 
as  well  they  were  not  heard,  for  the  conference  Avas 
not  in  a vein  to  do  any  thing  about  the  matter, 
and  would  no  doubt  have  carelessly  rejected  the 
whole  affair.  The  truth  was,  the  trustees  had  failed 
to  pay  for  the  building,  and  were  willing  to  sell  to 
the  conference  a property  worth  sixty  thousand  dol- 
lars for  twenty-five  thousand.  The  seminary  peo- 
ple were  discouraged ; Professor  Quereau  had  calls 
to  Appleton,  which  he  was  about  to  accept.  Through 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


445 


the  agency  of  E.  Q.  Fuller,  then  stationed  at  Aurora, 
things  were  put  in  a shape  to  be  brought  before 
conference.  Mr,  Fuller  then  set  out  to  visit  the 
district  conferences,  to  lay  the  matter  in  those 
quiet  sessions  before  the  preachers.  The  preachers 
heard  and  spoke  favorably,  and  the  result  was 
the  conference  at  Rockford  in  1863  accepted  the 
offer  of  the  trustees,  appointed  a commission  to 
take  charge  of  the  matter,  sent  agents  into  the 
field — Caleb  Foster  being  the  main  one — and  in  a 
year  five  thousand  dollars  was  paid  on  the  price. 
The  institution  was  saved  from  the  hands  of  the 
Catholics,  who  offered  thirty  thousand  dollars  in 
cash  for  it.  The  Church  has  at  Aurora  one  of  the 
finest  institutions  of  the  land.  The  traveler  on  the 
Burlington  cars  can  see  from  afar  the  stone  structure 
looming  up  sightly  and  grand,  an  institution  edu- 
cating the  coming  men  and  women  of  the  Fox 
River  Valley.  Happy  the  man  who  can  feel  that 
he  has  interests  in  such  a power  for  good. 

In  accordance  with  the  vote  of  the  conference  in 
1855  the  General  Conference  of  May,  1856,  divided 
the  Rock  River  Conference  into  two  nearly  equal 
portions.  The  line  ran  from  Rock  Island  along 
the  Rock  Island  Railway  to  Ottawa,  and  thence  it 
followed  the  Illinois  and  Kankakee  Rivers  to  the 
Indiana  line.  At  Aurora  many  were  missed  who 
had  been  for  years  among  the  most  active  business 
men ; many  who  had  filled  acceptably  the  most  im- 
portant positions.  Among  these  were  Richard 
Haney,  Milton  L.  Haney,  P.  T.  Rhodes,  Francis 
Smith,  H.  Richey,  John  P.  Brooks,  U.  J.  Giddings, 


446 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Benjamin  Applebee,  J.  J.  Hedstrom,  John  Morey, 
J.  Luccock,  Z.  Hall,  and  John  Chandler, 

The  following  reports  were  made,  showing  the 
strength  of  the  conference  in  1856,  when  it  was 
first  reduced  to  the  limits  we  have  undertaken  to 
represent : Members,  thirteen  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred; churches,  eighty-nine ; parsonages,  fifty-four; 
raised  for  missions,  five  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
forty  dollars. 

The  new  preachers  received  were  W.  P.  Weight, 
a highly  educated  young  man,  who,  for  two  or  three 
years,  had  been  a teacher  in  the  Biblical  Institute, 
and  who  partially  failed  as  a preacher  because  he 
knew  more  about  Palestine  than  about  circuit 
work ; Maecus  H.  Plumb,  a zealous  young  man 
from  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  who  has  done  fine 
work  in  the  conference ; T.  L.  Olmsted,  who 
had  the  year  before  been  a supply  on  Sugar  Grove 
Circuit,  and  who  has  made  one  of  our  most  useful 
men,  being  a deep,  clear  thinker,  rather  than  a 
brilliant  preacher;  William  D.  Skelton,  a more 
than  common  man,  who  filled  gracefully  positions 
of  trust  in  the  conference  as  well  as  pulpits  in  the 
leading  towns;  J.  T.  Hanna,  the  son  of  an  old- 
fashioned  Methodist  preacher,  but  who  sometimes, 
in  striving  to  gain  credit  for  being  an  independent 
thinker,  oversteps  the  bounds  of  pure  thought;  and 
Sanfoed  Washbuen,  tall,  energetic,  and  laborious. 
Those  received  by  readmission  or  transfer  were  De. 
D.  P.  Kiddee,  professor  in  the  Biblical  Institute, 
whose  name  belongs  to  the  Church  rather  than  to 
the  Rock  River  Conference,  but  who  has  been  a 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


447 


patron  of  education  in  our  bounds  from  the  earliest 
day;  William  Cone,  from  New  England;  L.  A. 
Sanford,  from  the  Troy  Conference,  where  he  had 
been  one  of  the  first  preachers;  Oscar  B.  Thayer, 
who  had  been  received  the  year  before  into  the  Bal- 
timore Conference.  A poor  boy,  he  sawed  wood, 
took  care  of  horses;  did  any  thing  in  his  New 
England  home  to  gain  an  education.  He  became 
a brilliant,  reciting  preacher,  giving  off  some  of  the 
most  glittering  utterance  we  ever  listened  to.  Small, 
wiry,  quick,  restless,  beautiful  in  person,  driving 
the  best  horse  in  the  country,  he  dashed  on  with 
much  success  for  seven  years,  and  then,  in  1864, 
took  to  the  surplice  and  ^^Apostolical  Succession,^^ 
and  began  preaching,  we  know  not  how  successfully, 
among  the  Episcopalians. 

Another  who  was  received  by  transfer  this  year 
was  William  Goodfellow,  who  married  a daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  Dempster,  and  who,  with  W.  P.  Wright, 
had  been  teaching  in  the  institute,  and  who  left  in 
1857  to  supply  the  Mission  at  Buenos  Ayres,  Dr. 
Dempster  established  in  1836. 

The  new  charges  were  many,  most  of  them  the 
new  railway  stations  that  had  grown  up  within  a 
year  or  two.  Methodism  at  Woodstock  has  had  a 
slow  growth.  An  appointment  was  established  there 
in  1846  by  the  preachers  on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit, 
and  a quarterly-meeting  was  held  in  the  place,  in 
a school-house,  January  28, 1848.  This  was  probably 
the  first  meeting  of  the  kind  held  in  the  town.  At 
a quarterly-meeting  held  at  Franklinville,  April 
29,  1848,  a committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of 


448 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Mr.  Bentley,  J.  K.  Torbut,  and  M.  J.  Rider,  to  es- 
timate the  expense  of  building  a church  at  Wood- 
stock.  These  worthy  brethren  may  have  estimated 
the  expense,^^  but  it  is  certain  they  never  built  the 
church.  Woodstock  continued  to  be  an  appoint- 
ment on  a circuit  until  1856,  and  from  that  time, 
the  society  being  feeble,  they  have  been  connected 
with  and  disconnected  from  other  societies  until 
1865,  when  the  Church  there  gave  fair  promise 
of  a permanent  life.  For  some  years  previous  to 
1863  the  meetings  were  held  in  hired  halls,  whither 
the  people  found  their  way  up  two  flights  of  stairs. 
Few,  however,  would  go  up  to  a third  story  unless 
duty  pressed,  and,  though  an  upper  room  may  be  a 
good  place  to  pray  and  gain  strength  in,  we  must 
go  out  among  the  people  to  do  much  good.  Will- 
iam A.  Smith  was  sent  to  Belden  and  Woodstock 
in  1862.  Not  long  after  he  entered  upon  the  work 
he  learned  that  the  Baptist  society  were  willing  to 
sell  their  church  for  one  thousand  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. They  had  built  quite  a convenient  house,  but, 
being  few  in  number,  were  unable  to  pay  for  it. 
It  was  too  bad  to  turn  them  back  to  the  hall, 
but  it  was  their  own  offer.  Brother  Smith  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  sufficient  to  procure  the  deed,  and 
a day  was  set  for  reopening.  Dr.  Eddy  was  in- 
vited out  to  perform  the  services.  The  day  arrived, 
the  house  was  crowded,  but  no  Eddy  appeared.  A 
telegram  announced  that  he  had  missed  the  train, 
but  would  be  along  at  2 P.  M.  The  present  writer 
was  picked  out  of  the  crowd  and  put  unwillingly 
into  the  pulpit,  where  he  strove  to  preach  from 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


449 


Nehemiah,  vi,  2,  3.  Dr.  Eddy  came  at  2 o^clock, 
and  preached  to  a tearful-eyed  congregation  the 
best  sermon  we  have  ever  heard  from  him.  The 
money  lacking,  whatever  the  amount  was,  was 
speedily  raised,  and  the  house  entered  for  occupa- 
tion by  a joyful  people.  The  service  just  named 
was  on  January  20,  1863.  In  the  winter  of  1864, 
under  W.  A.  Cross,  a gracious  revival  brought  many 
new  and  happy  souls  into  the  Church,  so  that  the 
following  conference  year  was  commenced  with  a 
society  that  promised  success. 

Winnebago  charge,  in  1859,  included  West- 
field  and  the  Haisington  neighborhood.  Barton 
H.  Cartwright  commenced  a church  at  Winnebago 
in  1855,  which  was  so  far  completed  in  1856  that  the 
basement  was  used  for  worship.  The  house  was 
finished  and  dedicated  in  1860.  Westfield  is  one 
of  the  oldest  Methodist  points  in  that  part  of  the 
country,  Avhere  there  has  been  preaching  ever  since 
1840.  Brother  Cartwright  commenced  a church 
here  also  in  1855,  which  was  finished  in  1856  un- 
der the  direction  of  Boyd  Lowe.  It  was  a neat 
brick,  and  was  dedicated  by  C.  M.  Woodard,  May 
18th.  He  used  Genesis,  xxviii,  17,  for  a text. 

Marengo  became  a station  in  1856,  and  the  east- 
ern portion  of  the  circuit  was  set  off  and  called 
Harmony,  after  a Church  eight  miles  east  of  Ma- 
rengo. At  this  point  there  has  been  a class  and 
regular  preaching  ever  since  1839.  A church  was 
built  in  1855.  The  appointments  of  Harmony 
Circuit  in  1856  were  Harmony,  Huntley,  Hamp- 
shire, East  Prairie,  and  Coon  Creek.  There  has 

38 


450 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


been  little  change  in  the  extent  of  the  circuit 
since. 

Lane,  now  Rochelle,  is  becoming  one  of  the 
best  points  in  the  conference.  When  L.  S.  Walker 
was  on  the  Lighthouse  Point  Circuit  in  1843  he 
had  a regular  appointment  at  Hickory  Grove,  prob- 
ably a half  mile  from  Lane.  The  appointment  was 
kept  up  with  more  or  less  regularity  until  the  rail- 
road reached  the  place.  In  1854,  when  the  ter- 
minus of  the  road  was  there,  the  preaching  was 
held  in  a passenger  car,  which  remained  there  over 
Sabbath.  The  Lane  Mission  of  1856,  which  re- 
ceived John  Nate  as  preacher,  included  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, near  Ogle,  and  Jefferson  Grove.  The  next 
year,  when  J.  T.  Hanna  was  on  the  circuit,  there 
were  appointments  at  Dement  and  Broady^s  Grove. 
In  1859,  while  C.  Brookins  was  on  the  charge,  the 
people  set  about  building  a church,  which  was  so  far 
completed  the  society  worshiped  in  the  basement 
during  the  Winter  of  1860.  Previous  to  this  the 
meetings  were  held  in  a small  frame  school-house. 
The  church  was  not  completed  so  that  it  could  be 
dedicated  until  1862;  then  Dr.  Eddy  was  called  out 
to  work  in  his  most  telling  line.  When  once  a 
church  edifice  is  built  in  a community  the  progress 
of  a society  becomes  established,  and  unless  there 
be  peculiarly  trying  times  the  course  of  a society 
is  upward. 

Franklin  in  1856  had  but  two  appointments; 
they  were  Ogle  and  Franklin.  The  preaching  at 
Franklin  was  in  a school-house;  at  Ogle,  in  a room 
above  a store.  H.  L.  Martin  preached  at  Franklin 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


451 


when  on  the  Lee  Center  Circuit  in  1853,  and  in 
1855  when  on  Lighthouse  Circuit. 

Fulton  is  on  the  Mississippi  River,  and  strives 
to  be  a flourishing  town.  Benjamin  Close  built  a 
neat,  sensible  little  eight-hundred-dollar  church  there 
in  1859.  The  society  has  always  been  small. 

In  1854  it  was  wild  prairie  where  Mendota  now 
stands.  In  1855  it  was  included  in  Lamoille  Cir- 
cuit, and  U.  P.  Golliday  preached  there.  There  was 
at  the  time  a class  of  thirty  or  more.  The  preacher 
secured  three  lots,  and  made  a call  through  the  Ad- 
vocate for  donations  to  build  a church.  We  presume 
he  never  received  enough  to  build  a martin  house. 
In  1856,  when  the  place  was  set  off*  as  a station, 
Boyd  Lowe  was  appointed  to  the  charge.  The  meet- 
ings were  held  in  halls  until  1862,  when,  after  long 
trial  and  slow  work,  a neat  church  was  completed 
and  dedicated.  For  several  years  Mendota  was  the 
headquarters  of  the  district,  and  is  yet  to  be  a ra- 
diating point  for  Methodism. 

Sandwich,  another  station  on  the  Burlington 
Railway,  was  one  of  the  points  on  the  Little  Rock 
Circuit  in  1847.  The  old  Somonauk  appointment 
of  1835  was  within  two  or  three  miles  of  Sandwich. 
In  1847  O.  W.  Munger,  who  was  then  on  Little 
Rock  Circuit,  organized  a class  which  met  at  a red 
school-house,  which  stood  on  the  present  site  of  the 
town.  The  members  in  1852  were  Jacob  Hall, 
Luna  Hall,  Eliza  Davis,  Dorcas  Arnold,  Mary  A. 
Dennis,  Charlotte  Brooks,  Eucla  Gage,  whose  hus- 
band was  afterwards  one  of  the  principal  builders 
of  the  Somonauk  Church,  Garrett  Arnold,  J.  F. 


452 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Wilkins,  Matilda  Wilkins,  Kelsey  Salisbury,  Lydia 
Salisbury,  John  Renton,  Isabel  Nixon,  and  Charles 
Westfall.  A church  was  built  in  1855  and  dedi- 
cated the  25th  of  November  of  that  year.  It  cost 
three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  There  were  but 
five  male  members  when  it  was  commenced.  Sias 
Bolles  gave  them  his  favorite  dedication  sermon  on, 
Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give.^^  One  thou- 
sand dollars  was  wanted ; Mr.  Bolles  raised  twelve 
hundred  dollars.  A protracted  meeting  followed, 
continuing  six  weeks,  carried  on  by  A.  S.  W.  Mc- 
Causland,  during  which  twenty-six  joined  the 
Church.  There  was  a still  greater  work  in  1857 
when  D.  L.  Winslow  was  on  the  circuit,  resulting 
in  the  conversion  of  fifty  souls. 

The  point  which  gave  name  to  Millbrook 
Circuit  (which  became  Plattville  in  1863)  is  a coun- 
try neighborhood  six  miles  south  of  York vi  lie,  at 
Hollenback^s  Grove,  in  Kendall  County,  where  ever 
since  1834  there  has  been  a society  and  regular 
preaching.  It  was  then  on  Fox  River  Mission, 
and  finally  went  to  Milford  and  Newark  Circuits. 

In  the  Fall  of  1834  Mr.  Hollenback,  Burns, 
Harris,  Ackerly,  Bullard,  and  R.  W.  Cams,  who 
came  from  South  Carolina  that  Fall,  lived  there. 
The  meetings  were  held  in  Royal  Bullard^s  house 
until  1834;  then  they  were  moved  to  R.  W.  Carns’s 
log  cabin.  After  a time  meetings  were  held  in  a 
log  school-house  on  Mr.  Carns^s  place.  About 
1842  a better  school-house  was  erected,  in  which 
the  circuit  preachers  preached.  In  1857  a small 
church,  twenty-eight  by  forty-two  feet,  was  built  on 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-^1856. 


453 


R.  W.  Carns’s  farm,  costing  two  thousand  three 
hundred  dollars,  which  was  dedicated  by  J.  C. 
Stoughton,  October  25,  1857 ; text.  Psalm  cxxii,  1 : 
I was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me.  Let  us  go  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord/^  The  Plattville  Circuit  in 
1865  had  appointments  at  Millbrook,  Plattville,  and 
at  Kendall  School-house.  The  country  comprising 
this  circuit  was  until  lately  away  from  the  railroads, 
and  remained  from  year  to  year  about  the  same. 
It  is  one  of  the  ancient  and  honorable  circuits,  of 
which  so  few  remain  in  the  conference. 

In  1836  there  was  an  Apple  River  Circuit, 
which  embraced  all  the  country  in  Jo  Daviess 
County,  except  Galena.  The  headquarters  of  this 
work  were  at  Elizabeth.  As  the  country  became 
settled  that  old  circuit  was  broken  up  into  charges 
of  smaller  compass,  and  the  name  soon  disappeared 
from  the  list.  In  1848  there  was  a circuit  called 
Wapello,  which  embraced  the  country  around  Ap- 
ple River  Station.  In  the  Spring  of  1848  several 
Methodist  families  moved  into  this  neighborhood. 
In  the  Fall  of  that  year  Samuel  B.  Smith,  who  was 
on  the  Wapello  work,  had  regular  appointments 
in  Mr.  Fleharty’s  house,  a half  mile  east  of  the 
station.  A class  was  soon  formed,  with  Joseph 
Ennas  as  leader.  About  the  year  1850  Robert 
Levitt  bought  an  old  log-house,  which  was  moved 
to  a point  about  a half  mile  north  of  the  depot, 
and  rebuilt  on  the  west  side  of  the  road.  This  be- 
came the  school-house  and  preaching-place,  and 
there  was  regular  circuit  preaching  there  until  the 
class  was  formed  down  in  the  village.  The  ap- 


454 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


pointment  was  filled  by  preachers  on  the  Council 
Hill  and  Shullsburg  Circuits.  The  Central  Rail- 
road reached  the  place  some  time  in  1855,  and  at 
once  a small  village  began  to  grow  up,  called  Ap- 
ple River  Station.  Jacob  Hartman  was  on  the 
Warren  Circuit  from  1854  to  1855.  In  the  Sum- 
mer of  1855  he  went  over  one  Sunday  afternoon 
and  rallied  the  people  for  preaching  under  a tree 
in  the  south  part  of  town.  This  is  thought  to  be 
the  first  sermon  at  the  station.  In  1857  Apple 
River  Mission  appeared  on  the  Minutes.  William 
Taylor  was  supplied  to  the  work.  The  charge  in- 
cluded all  the  country  south-west  nearly  to  Eliza- 
beth. In  1858  Simpson  Guyer  was  appointed  to 
the  work.  While  he  was  here  a general  revival 
occurred,  bringing  in  almost  every  person  around. 
During  this  year  the  church  was  commenced.  In 
the  Spring  of  1858  T.  F.  Hastie,  that  noble  man 
who  had  just  come  to  the  place  as  station  agent, 
began  a Sunday-school  in  the  railroad  office.  In 
the  Winter  the  school  was  moved  to  the  old  stone 
school-house,  where  the  preaching  was  also  held. 
In  1860  the  church  was  finished  and  opened  for 
dedication.  Peter  Cartwright,  the  old  hero,  was  se- 
cured for  the  dedication  services.  The  house  was 
packed,  for  the  fame  of  this  Peter  of  the  nineteenth 
century  always  drew  crowds.  From  that  time  the 
society  entered  upon  a prosperous  career.  In  1863 
a very  comfortable  parsonage  was  erected.  For 
many  years  the  Church  was  burdened  with  a heavy 
debt.  In  the  Spring  of  1869  the  last  dollar  was 
raised  and  the  debt  closed  up.  From  the  first  un- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1855-1856. 


455 


til  1870  T.  F.  Hastie  was  the  more  than  commonly 
efficient  Sunday-school  superintendent. 

Among  the  earliest  workers  of  Apple  River  was 
Robert  Levitt.  He  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, in  1807,  and  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in 
Ohio  in  1831.  There  he  was  converted  and  brought 
into  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  went  to 
Apple  River  in  1845,  where  he  became  a member  of 
the  first  class  organized  there.  He  had  great  en- 
ergy of  character  and  uprightness  in  dealing, 
and  was  a devoted  Christian.  With  many  of  the 
members  of  his  family  around  his  bed  he  departed 
hence  November  10,  1882. 

In  the  days  from  1861  to  1883  every  Apple 
River  preacher  was  cheered  by  that  old  Wesleyan 
saint,  Mrs.  Mary  Drew.  She  was  born  in  Cornwall, 
England,  in  1792.  In  1808  she  gave  herself  to 
Christ  and  the  Wesleyan  Church.  In  1861  she 
went  to  Apple  River,  a guest  in  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Captain  John  Maynard,  where  she 
abode  until  at  the  end  of  seventy-five  years  in  the 
Church  she  went  to  her  brighter  home  December  8, 
1883.  Her  life  was  sunshine ; her  end  peace. 


456 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODim. 


CHARTER  XXVIII. 

THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1857. 

IN  1857  the  conference  convened  in  Rockford  for 
the  second  time,  and  held  its  sessions  in  the 
Court  Street  Church,  with  Bishop  Scott  as  president 
for  the  second  time.  The  conference  was  held  on 
the  east  side  in  1849,  and  Bishop  Scott  presided  at 
Chicago  in  1853.  His  first  appearance  before  the 
conference  was  in  1849,  when  he  was  book  agent 
at  New  York.  Here  in  1857  we  were,  permitted 
to  greet  our  editor,  T.  M.  Eddy,  for  the  first  time. 
He  made  his  debut  in  a wagon  a mile  west  of  town 
as  he  introduced  the  important  item  of  breaking 
ground  for  the  famous  Rockford  Wesleyan  Semi- 
nary, which  ever  since  has  stood  sublime  a castle 
in  the  air.  The  editor  gave  the  crowd  a fine  speci- 
men of  speech-making  and  of  spade  handling.  E. 
Q.  Fuller,  F.  P.  Cleveland,  and  T.  R.  Satterfield 
were  received  on  trial. 

Festus  P.  Cleveland,  a cousin  of  President 
Cleveland,  is  a graduate  of  West  Point,  and  has 
been  one  of  our  most  popular  preachers.  He  was 
the  first  man  in  the  conference  to  remain  three  years 
after  the  three-year  rule  was  adopted.  He  has  been 
a delegate  once  or  twice,  and  has  been  a presiding 
elder  three  or  four  years.  T.  R.  Satterfield  is  a 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1857,  457 

cheerful-hearted  Virginian,  robust  in  form,  and 
orotund  in  language.  The  transfers  of  1857  were: 
S.  G.  Lathrop,  who  from  a beardless  boy  preacher 
had  grown  up  to  prominence  in  the  Oneida  Con- 
ference, and  who  filled  most  acceptably  three  of  our 
best  appointments — Indiana  Street,  Dixon,  and  Jol- 
iet. He  subsided  into  an  agency,  the  burial  ground 
of  so  many  of  our  preachers,  and  died  in  the  year 
1884.  William  M.  D.  Ryan,  as  clever  as  ever, 
who  after  an  absence  of  ten  years  returned  to  build 
Wabash  Avenue  Church;  Aaron  Cross,  mild  and 
gentle  in  disposition  and  firm  in  purpose,  who  had 
done  effectual  work  for  years  in  the  Oneida  Con- 
ference, and  who  had  given  two  or  three  efficient 
sons  to  the  ministry.  W.  P.  Grey,  an  old  Troy 
Conference  man,  popular  above  most  as  a preacher ; 
E.  M.  Boring,  who  had  been  pastor,  teacher,  and 
presiding  elder  in  Ohio,  and  who  has  not  labored 
in  vain  in  this  conference ; Joseph  Hartwell, 
another  Oneida  man,  who  was  presiding  elder  for 
a year  in  that  conference ; Ziba  S.  Kellogg,  a re- 
tiring man  from  Wyoming  Conference,  who  did 
much  good  on  the  charges  where  he  labored,  hav- 
ing some  of  the  best  of  revivals;  L.  L.  Knox,  a 
prominent  college  professor  East  and  West;  Z.  D. 
Paddock,  yet  another  Oneida  man,  a graduate  of 
a college,  a splendid  revival  and  camp-meeting 
preacher,  whom  we  have  heard  hold  one  or  two 
thousand  listeners  intent  on  the  Word;  and  John 
Heyn  Vincent,  one  of  the  most  efficient  men  our 
conference  has  known. 

While  prominent  in  almost  every  thing,  J.  H. 

39 


458 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Vincent  is  most  known  at  present  by  his  Sunday- 
school  work.  While  in  the  Galena  District  in  1860 
he  introduced  the  Sunday-school  Institute,  which  for 
several  years  in  the  bounds  of  the  conference  was  a 
thing  of  force.  It  was  the  first  thing  of  the  kind 
in  the  world.  By  these  institutes  the  interest  in 
Sunday-schools  was  increased  twofold.  The  one 
idea  of  system  was  a result  worthy  of  all  the 
efforts  put  forth.  The  system  introduced  caused 
more  work  to  be  done  in  less  time,  and  by  suggest- 
ing new  items  of  interest  the  institutes  served  to 
make  the  schools  more  interesting.  It  was  a bless- 
ing to  any  man  who  would  improve  the  opportunity 
to  have  come  in  contact  with  J.  H.  Vincent  and  his 
institutes  in  those  days.  From  about  1858  to  1865 
there  was  a great  Sunday-school  reform  wave  pass- 
ing over  the  country,  of  which  Dr.  Vincent  was  one 
of  the  prime  movers.  After  the  lapse  of  years  the 
three  great  results  left  us  are:  1.  The  new  style  of 
singing ; 2.  The  Lesson  Leaf ; and,  3.  The  almost 
universal  interest  taken  by  prominent  laymen  in 
the  Sunday-school  work.  The  Lesson  Leaf  was  a 
thing  of  growth.  As  early  as  1850  Mr.  Orange 
Judd,  a Methodist  layman,  then  the  popular  editor 
of  the  Agriculturist y was  superintendent  of  a Sunday- 
school  near  New  York  City.  He  selected  topical 
lessons,  with  date,  topic,  and  chapter  and  verse,  for 
each  Sunday  in  the  year.  One  of  these  lists  was 
printed  in  the  Agriculturist.  From  the  ^^form^^ 
thus  set  up  he  had  thousands  of  copies  struck  off 
on  slips,  which  he  sold  all  over  the  country  to 
such  schools  as  wished  to  use  them.  After  a first 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1857. 


459 


success  Mr.  Judd  printed  these  slips  from  year  to 
year ; and  afterward  embodied  them  in  a series  of 
question  books.  About  1860  many  schools  in  the 
West  purchased  these  slips  and  introduced  the  top- 
ical lessons.  This  occurred  about  the  time  that  J. 
H.  Vincent  and  his  friends  were  introducing  the 
Sunday-school  Institute  and  other  new  schemes  in 
the  bounds  of  the  Rock  River  Conference.  From 
using  Mr.  Judd’s  slips  many  of  us  compiled  our  own 
lessons  and  had  them  printed.  But  as  we  had 
nothing  but  the  topics  and  the  texts,  and  no  helps 
for  teachers  or  scholars  of  any  kind,  every  worker 
in  these  schools  felt  from  the  first  the  need  of  helps, 
and  set  about  providing  them.  The  writer  of  these 
pages  in  his  school  at  Rockton  in  1863  prepared 
brief  teachers’  helps,  and  had  the  older  scholars 
write  out  copies  for  the  teachers.  Afterward  he 
printed  some  of  these  on  a hand-press  at  home. 

In  the  meantime  Dr.  Vincent  was  working  in 
the  same  direction.  In  1865  he  was  stationed  at 
Trinity  Church,  Chicago.  They  began  using  these 
topical  lessons  in  his  Sunday-school.  Mr.  Vincent 
prepared  helps  about  like  what  appear  now  on 
the  Berean  Leaf,  and  furnished  copy  to  the  North- 
western Advocate  each  week.  From  the  Advocate 
forms”  he  had  slips  printed  for  the  use  of  his  own 
school  and  some  other  schools  that  used  them.  This 
was  the  origin  of  Lesson  Leaves.  This  year  (1865) 
Dr.  Vincent  was  publishing  in  Chicago  a Teachers^ 
Quarterly;  the  next  year  this  became  the  Sun- 
day-School Teacher^  published  monthly.  This 
Teacher  was  the  first  of  all  the  publications  of 


460 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


like  nature.  In  the  Teacher  lesson  helps  with 
accompanying  Leaves  began  to  be  published  in 
the  form  in  which  they  have  continued,  with  vari- 
ations, ever  since.  These  leaves  and  helps  were 
entirely  of  Methodist  origin ; born  entirely  of  Rock 
River  Conference  brain.  They  were  originated  as 
topical  lessons  by  a Methodist  layman  of  New  York, 
enlarged  with  lesson  helps  by  a Methodist  preacher, 
and  published  first  in  a Methodist  Advocate.  Surely 
that  is  something  to  congratulate  ourselves  for.  We 
need  not  branch  out^^  here  on  their  uses.  It  is 
beyond  our  means  or  space  to  enumerate  the  dif- 
ferent forms  these  leaves  and  helps  have  since 
taken. 

There  have  ever  since  been  here  and  there  old-time 
people  who  have  cried  out  against  the  leaves;  but 
it  were  a sad  misfortune  that  would  displace  them. 

At  the  conference  of  1857  fifteen  new  charges 
appeared,  some  of  which  were  old  circuits  modified, 
others  were  entirely  new.  One  of  these  was  Des 
Plaines  Street,  Chicago. 

Durand  is  a station  on  the  Racine  and  Missis- 
sippi Railroad,  which  is  near  the  site  of  Medina,  a 
village  that  for  many  years  gave  name  to  a circuit 
that  had  embraced  the  country  around.  Harrison, 
Durand,  and  Sugar  River  were  the  difierent  names 
included  in  the  Medina  Circuit.  There  was  a class 
formed  near  Durand  as  early  as  1837.  There  were 
appointments  and  classes  at  A.  Crane^s  and  Nathan 
Varnie^s  houses.  These  two  classes  were  moved  to 
Durand  in  1857  and  organized  into  three  classes, 
with  A.  D.  Warner,  Erastus  Porch,  and  Samuel 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1857. 


461 


Pillsbury  as  leaders.  In  1864  the  charge  included 
Durand,  and  Davis  Station.  A church  was  com- 
menced at  Durand  as  early  as  1858,  and  the  society 
for  several  years  worshiped  in  the  basement. 
Through  the  efforts  of  L.  S.  Walker  this  was  fin- 
ished in  1864  and  dedicated  by  Dr.  Eddy  some  time 
in  September.  At  Davis  in  1864  the  preaching  was 
in  an  Albright  Church. 

Amboy  was  another  large  town  that  grew  up  on 
the  prairie  about  this  time.  For  many  years  before 
this  there  was  a mill  and  small  village  called  Bing- 
hamton about  two  miles  east  of  Amboy,  where  a 
small  church  was  built  in  1855  or  1856.  There 
had  been  preaching  here  from  quite  an  early  day. 
H.  L.  Martin  preached  in  a school-house  there  in 
1853.  During  this  year  (1853)  Mr.  Martin  preached 
occasionally  at  Amboy.  The  town  was  built  be- 
tween 1854  and  1857.  The  Central  Railway  de- 
sired to  establish  its  machine  shops  at  Dixon,  but 
not  finding  as  good  offers  as  desired  the  shops  were 
established  at  Amboy  in  1857,  and  this  at  once 
made  the  town.  Regular  Methodist  services  com- 
menced to  be  held  in  1856  by  G.  W.  T.  Wright,  on 
Sunday  afternoon,  in  a building  belonging  to  the 
Baptists,  and  probably  the  class  was  organized  that 
year.  The  Central  Railroad  Company  gave  a build- 
ing lot,  and  in  1856  a church  was  commenced^ 
which  was  completed  in  1857  and  dedicated  June 
21st  by  Professor  O.  S.  Munsell,  who  was  then  sta- 
tioned at  Mt.  Morris.  The  text  for  the  occasion 
was  taken  from  Psalm  xcv,  6;  come  let  us 
worship.^^  ‘At  the  dedication  one  thousand  dollars 


462 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


was  raised  in  subscriptions  to  meet  the  demands. 
This  house  was  a humble  one,  neat,  but  built  in 
chapel  form  in  the  cheapest  style.  Amboy  in  1857 
was  set  off  as  a station  from  Lee  Center  Circuit,  in 
which  it  had  been  previously  included,  and  the 
glittering  O.  B.  Thayer  was  sent  on  as  preacher. 

Milledgeville  Circuit,  named  after  a town 
eight  miles  west  ot  Polo,  included  in  1858  the  west- 
ern portion  of  the  old  Buffalo  Grove  work,  taking 
in  Elkhorn  Grove.  It  has  retained  the  same  form 
until  the  present  time. 

Lisbon  became  a preaching-place  on  the  Milford 
Circuit  in  1840.  The  first  settlers  within  the  vil- 
lage limits  settled  there  in  March,  1836;  they  were 
Horace  Moore,  Levi  Hill,  and  Eben  Hill,  who  came 
in  that  year  from  Vernon,  New  York.  The  first 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Calvin  Bushnell  of 
the  Congregationalist  Church,  who  organized  the 
first  religious  society  early  in  1838,  consisting  of 
seven  members.  Jervis  Moore  and  wife,  who  came 
in  1837,  were  the  first  members  of  the  Methodist 
Church  who  settled  in  the  village.  In  July,  1840, 
the  first  class  was  organized  by  E.  Springer.  It 
consisted  of  six  members.  Solomon  Wells  was 
chosen  leader.  In  1857  the  charge  was  set  off  from 
Newark  Circuit.  The  class  seems  to  have  run  dowm, 
for  in  1844  S.  F.*  Denning  reorganized  it  with  Jervis 
Moore  as  leader.  Brother  Denning  in  that  year 
preached  in  a school-house.  When  the  church  was 
built  we  can  not  tell,  but  we  know  that  it  was  used 
in  1853. 

A circuit  called  Lodi,  embracing  several  of  the 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1857. 


463 


small  stations  along  the  Fulton  Railroad^  was  in- 
stituted in  1857.  It  has  changed  form  several 
times,  but  has  generally  embraced  Courtland  and 
Blackberry.  C.  M.  Webster,  ^^the  irrepressible 
church  builder, built  a church  at  all  three  points 
named  between  1862  and  1863.  June  26,  1863, 
there  was  a very  neat  church  dedicated  at  Black- 
berry. Sermon  in  the  morning  by  Dr.  Eddy,  in 
the  afternoon  by  A.  D.  Field.  There  had  been  a 
Union  Church  for  many  years,  owned  principally 
by  the  Free  Will  Baptists.  In  the  Spring  of  1863 
the  Baptists  voted  to  give  the  Methodists  the  after- 
noon hour,  which  was  equivalent  to  extinguishment. 
A citizen  at  once  offered  the  use  of  a hall,  and  also 
offered  a liberal  subscription  if  the  Methodists  would 
build  a church.  Under  WebsteFs  lead  an  elegant 
house  of  worship  was  completed  in  about  four 
months.  Blackberry  has  been  a preaching-place 
ever  since  1839. 

Shabbona  Grove,  the  home  of  Shabbona,  the 
old  Indian  chief,  friend  of  the  white  man,  was  for 
many  years  included  in  Paw  Paw  Circuit.  It  has 
ever  since  1857  had  two  or  three  appointments 
around  the  grove.  One  appointment  was  at  Clinton, 
eight  miles  north.  A.  S.  W.  McCausland  established 
an  appointment  and  formed  a class  at  Clinton  in 
1853.  A fine  church  was  built  in  1866. 

The  remaining  new  charges  were  Richmond,  a 
a clever  town  with  church  and  parsonage ; Harri- 
son, including  several  appointments  in  the  north- 
west part  of  Winnebago  County;  Flora,  since  at- 
tached to  Cherry  Valley ; Lynnville,  now  Monroe ; 


464 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Plum  Eivek,  near  Galena;  Sinclair;  High 
Prairie;  and  Hadley. 

Among  the  persons  who  located  this  year  was 
George  Riach.  He  was  a Scotchman  educated  in 
Edinburg  under  Chalmers,  who  coming  to  America, 
had  commenced  traveling  in  Kentucky.  In  1848 
he  came  North,  and  joined  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference. A bachelor,  with  unpleasant  habits,  he 
never  took  well  on  his  circuits.  As  a preacher  he 
copied  Chalmers,  but  was  not  Chalmers.  His  ser- 
mons were  committed,  and  in  a grand  style  he  dis- 
coursed on  physical  nature  and  the  stars.  In  1855 
he  was  appointed  to  Chemung  Circuit.  He  went 
to  the  work  and  passed  a Sabbath,  and  then  returned 
to  his  .old  charge  for  his  trunk!  He  was  seen  to 
get  on  the  cars  at  Reading,  below  Lasalle,  and  after 
that  seen  no  more  for  the  time.  He  then  myste- 
riously disappeared.  A year  passed,  and  at  the  Au- 
rora Conference  he  came  near  having  his  obituary 
prepared.  Not  a word  had  been  heard  from  him. 
But  in  the  Summer  of  1857  he  came  to  life  and 
appeared  in  Chicago.  Under  a fit  of  discourage- 
ment he  left  his  work  and  went  to  Canada,  where 
he  remained  nearly  two  years  without  communicat- 
ing with  any  one  in  Illinois.  On  his  return  he 
located. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


465 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
CONFERENCES  OF  1858  AND  1859. 

HE  conference  held  its  nineteenth  session  at 


Waukegan  in  1858,  Bishop  Ames  presiding. 
The  following  were  received  on  trial:  Leonard 
Clifford  ; G.  G.  Lyon,  who,  after  filling  appoint- 
ments at  Aurora  and  Woodstock  four  years,  left  as 
chaplain  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Illinois,  becoming  after 
a time  chief  of  General  Sigel’s  staff,  and  in  1863 
went  back  to  the  Genesee  Conference,  whence  he 

\ 

% came;  Calvary  Morris  Webster,  who  received 
from  Dr.  Eddy  the  cognomen  of  irrepressible 
church  builder/^  from  the  fact  that  he  built  five 
churches  in  three  years;  James  N.  Martin,  one  of 
three  brothers  who  have  in  every  position  done 
honor  to  the  conference.  Mr.  Martin  was  a grad- 
uate at  Middletown,  and  for  several  years  was  pro- 
fessor at  Mt.  Morris  and  in  an  institution  in  Canada. 
He  left  Rock  River  in  1864  to  establish  a female 
college  in  Minnesota;  W.  M.  Foreman,  a steady 
worker  and  reliable  man ; Matthew  H.  Triggs, 
one  of  the  immortal  six  first  graduates  of  Garrett 
Biblical  Institute,  and  who,  though  not  among  the 
most  brilliant  in  talent,  will  stand  beside  any  in 
work  and  moral  goodness;  J.  E.  Hibbard,  a 
minor  Richard  Haney,  affluent  in  language  and  ora- 


466 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


torical  in  manner ; J.  W.  Sovereign,  another  first 
graduate  of  Garrett,  a most  worthy  young  man,  who 
died  in  1859;  and  Osmon  Hutchins,  yet  another 
graduate  of  the  then  new  Biblical  school. 

At  this  conference  Thomas  North  withdrew 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  came 
to  Illinois  from  the  State  of  New  York  in  the  Au- 
tumn of  1846,  and  commenced  a select  school  in 
the  basement  of  the  Methodist  Church  at  St.  Charles. 
This  school  was  a great  success.  Being  a young 
local  preacher,  Mr.  North  filled  many  of  the  ap- 
pointments on  the  circuit,  which  then  extended 
from  St.  Charles  to  Aurora.  He  also  had  a series 
of  singing-schools  during  the  Winter.  He  usually 
read  his  sermons  at  St.  Charles,  a practice  he  kept 
up  until  his  withdrawal.  He  was  admitted  into  the 
conference  in  1847,  and  appointed  to  Millville,  and 
was  afterward  at  such  appointments  as  Dixon,  Ba- 
tavia, and  Freeport,  and  was  from  the  first  rated 
as  one  of  the  brilliant  preachers,  and  was  appointed 
to  preach  the  Mission  Sermon  at  Rockford  in  1857, 
which  sermon  was  an  excellent  production.  All 
along,  from  the  time  we  attended  his  school  at  St. 
Charles  in  1847  until  1858,  there  was  a tendency  to 
heterodoxy.  A year  or  two  before  his  withdrawal 
he  preached  sermons  akin  to  Oxford  Essays  and 
the  writings  of  Bishop  Colenso,  denying  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  historical  portions  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  at  last  became  an  ultra  Methodist  reformer,  and 
in  1858  wrote  a most  bitter  article  for  the  Northern 
Independent  (which  paper  was  the  common  medium 
for  all  the  venom  of  disappointed  souls),  in  which 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858--1859. 


467 


he  poured  his  vials  of  wrath  upon  the  corrupt 
Church.  Martin  P.  Sweet  at  Freeport,  where  North 
was  stationed  in  1857,  had  been  a perfectionist 
preacher  in  the  East,  and  now  adopted  anew  his 
old  view,  with  the  addition  of  the  freeloveism  of 
the  then  rampant  Spiritists.  North  was  led  into 
the  vortex,  not  unwillingly  we  deem.  The  faith  was 
that  man  might  become  so  perfect  in  soul  that  the 
acts  of  the  body  could  have  no  effect  upon  the  pure 
spirit ; and  it  was  possible  to  become  so  holy  the 
person  need  never  die.  Selfishness  tvas  the  ill  of 
earth.  It  discovered  itself  in  all  the  ways  of  life, 
even  in  the  marriage  relation,  which  was  bondage. 
The  free  spirit  was  to  find  its  affinities  and  love 
where  it  listed.  North,  at  Freeport,  preached  a 
farewell  sermon,  a mystical  affair,  that  the  Holy 
Stone  of  Joseph  Smith  itself  could  not  unriddle, 
and  at  the  conference  he  withdrew,  making  a fare- 
well speech  as  he  went  out.  In  that  speech  he 
said  : Kane  in  the  Arctic  regions,  when  drifting, 

driven  by  the  ice-floe,  found  the  icebergs  were 
floating  against  this  upper-current  to  the  northward. 
He  made  his  vessel  fast  to  one  of  these  bergs,  and 
floated  toward  the  North-pole.  So  I have  moored 
my  bark  to  the  berg  of  truth,  and,  while  the  Churches 
and  isms  are  drifting  in  the  upper  current,  I,  alone 
it  is  true,  am  carried  by  a superior  power  to  the 
polar  seas  of  holiness.^’  Many  Methodist  preachers 
that  day  thanked  God  they  were  not  moored  to  a 
cold  iceberg  floating  to  the  chilling  regions  of 
skeptical  night,  but  were  sailing  for  the  sunny 
regions  of  Gospel  truth. 


468 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Thomas  North  was  a genial,  clever  soul,  who 
won  many  friends,  who  really  wept  over  what  they 
considered  his  fall.  The  pendulum  of  opinion  ever 
sways  from  one  extreme  to  another.  Thomas  North, 
the  bitter-spirited  anti-slavery  man,  went  to  Texas 
in  1860,  and  for  a time  in  the  fearful  rebellion 
maelstrom  became  lost  to  view.  He  returned  North 
in  1867  and  became  an  editor.  In  his  farewell  ser- 
mon he  said : I entertain  views  of  truth  which  in 

their  elements  and  ultimates  will  no  longer  permit 
me  to  live  or  remain  in  any  of  the  Church  organi- 
zations of  the  day.  These  views  are  vital  to  me, 
for  in  them  I see  Jesus  Christ  more  than  else- 
where.^^ I have  been  taught  to  feel  what  it  is  to 
be  delivered  from  the  law  of  precept  and  penalty.^^ 
I am  no  longer  subject  to  ordinances.^^  Whom 
the  Son  makes  free  is  free  indeed  I am  under 
government,  but  not  the  government  of  law.  I am 
under  the  government  of  the  spiritual  presence 
and  guidings  of  Jesus  Christ.^’  I see  that  the  law 
of  precept  and  penalty,  interpreted  in  the  ordinary 
Church  sense,  . . . can  restrain  and  protect  each 
man  in  his  self-loves ; but  the  law  of  the  Spirit  . . . 
can  civilize  us  in  the  heavenly  unselfish  sense.  And 
in  proportion  as  we  retain  law  and  ordinances  . . . 
so  far  shall  we  fail  in  reaching  the  true  kingdom- 
of-heaven  state.^^  ‘‘  To  get  out  of  the  legal  is  to 
go  into  the  spiritual ; to  get  out  of  the  flesh  is  to 
go  into  the  spirit ; ...  to  get  out  of  the  legal  state 
is  to  go  into  the  kingdom-of-heaven  state.  To  get 
out  of  the  world  we  must  go  into  heaven.  But 
mark ! To  go  into  heaven  is  to  leave  the  objective 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


469 


and  go  into  the  subjective,  where  Christ  tells  us  the 
kingdom  of  God  is/^  To  such  wildering  mysticisms 
do  men  of  mind  come  when  once  they  get  astray ! 
How  the  fearful  ruins  of  shipwrecked  souls  warn  us ! 

Mr.  North,  with  Martin  P.  Sweet,  organized  at 
Freeport  a branch  of  the  Oneida  Community,  where 
all  the  mystic  orgies  of  infatuated  souls  transpired. 
Mr.  Guiteau,  the  father  of  the  murderer  of  Presi- 
dent Garfield,  was  a member  of  this  Freeport  Com- 
munity, and  under  these  influences  young  Guiteau 
was  made  the  crank  he  appeared  to  be  in  life 
and  in  dying. 

Mr.  North  was  in  the  South  all  through  the 
rebel  war.  Sometimes  he  was  preaching  in  a Meth- 
odist Church,  South.  At  length,  about  1867,  he 
reappeared  in  Freeport.  He  for  a time  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  there ; was 
engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  About  1870  he 
was  working  in  a Chicago  editorial  office. 

The  new  charges  of  1858  were  as  the  year  be- 
fore mostly  railroad  stations  grown  into  prominence. 
Among  them  were  Wheaton,  Forreston,  and  Como. 
Como  included  a strip  of  country  twelve  miles 
across  from  Rock  River  to  Rock  Creek,  having  ap- 
pointments at  Como,  Empire,  New  Genesee,  and 
Round  Grove.  At  Como  in  1858  the  Methodists 
held  their  meetings  in  the  Congregationalist  Church. 
At  all  other  places  the  preaching  was  in  school- 
houses.  The  class  at  Como  consisted  of  Henry 
Murray,  Francis  Dubridge  and  wife,  and  a ffew  others. 
It  was  organized  by  S.  F.  Denning,  with  eight 
members,  in  May,  1856. 


470 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Forreston  in  1 858  had  appointments  at  Forreston, 
Bailey  ville,  Cherry  Grove,  Spring  Valley,  and  Flor- 
ence. Forreston  village  was  laid  out  by  G.  W. 
Hewitt  in  the  Fall  of  1854.  The  Central  Railroad 
built  a depot  the  same  year.  In  1853  Forreston  was 
included  in  Crane  Grove  Circuit,  which  had  Hender- 
son Richey  as  preacher.  In  May,  1855,  Samuel 
Mitchell  and  family  moved  to  Forreston,  this  being 
the  first  Methodist  family.  In  July,  1855,  the  first 
sermon  of  any  kind  preached  here  was  by  William 
Underwood,  a Methodist  preacher.  The  services 
were  held  in  the  passenger-depot,  where  all  the  re- 
ligious meetings  were  held  till  the  Fall  of  1856,  when 
all  began  to  be  held  in  the  school-house.  At  the 
fourth  quarterly-meeting,  held  in  1856,  four  dollars 
and  forty-two  cents  quarterage  was  reported  from 
Forreston.  In  the  Fall  of  1856  G.  J.  Bliss  was  ap- 
pointed to  Crane  Grove.  A class  was  formed  by 
him  at  Forreston,  consisting  of  Samuel  Mitchell, 
Hannah  Mitchell,  Jacob  Salter,  Sophia  Salter,  and 
H.  G.  Starr,  leader.  At  the  second  quarterly-meet- 
ing Samuel  Mitchell  was  appointed  steward.  The 
first  quarterly-meeting  held  at  Forreston  was  March 
21,  1857 — C.  C.  Best,  presiding  elder;  Joseph  Best, 
superannuate  ; Z.  S.  Kellogg,  local  preacher ; T.  M. 
Wilson,  H.  G.  Starr,  leaders ; David  Martin,  Sam- 
uel Mitchell,  stewards.  There  were  six  appoint- 
ments on  the  mission.  In  1857  to  1859  Robert 
Brotherton  was  preacher.  During  the  time  the  first 
protracted  meeting  was  held,  at  wdiich  Rev.  Alonzo 
Campbell  and  wife  joined  the  Church.  In  1858 
the  name  of  the  circuit  was  changed  to  Forreston. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


471 


A church  was  built  in  1865,  which  was  dedicated 
by  Dr.  T.  M.  Eddy.  Forreston  was  made  a station 
in  1868,  with  H.  U.  Reynolds  as  preacher.  He  re- 
mained two  years  and  was  followed  in  1870  by  A. 
D.  Field.  During  this  year  the  church  was  beau- 
tifully papered  with  fresco  paper.  During  the  time 
from  1859  to  1870  many  strong  persons  had  moved 
in  and  had  taken  hold  of  the  work,  among  whom 
none  were  more  efficient  than  Matthew  Blair  and 
Aaron  Middlekoff. 

Earl  has  had  a long  history.  In  1834  Rev.  S. 
R.  Beggs  was  appointed  to  the  Princeton  Circuit, 
which  embraced  all  the  country  from  Princeton  to 
Ottowa,  and  north  to  Shabbona  Grove.  In  the 
Summer  of  1835  Mr.  Beggs  found  four  or  five  fam- 
ilies settled  at  The  Point, near  Mr.  Sutphen^s 
residence.  He  was  invited  to  preach,  and  he  at 
once  established  a regular  preaching-place  there  and 
visited  the  neighborhood  once  a month  till  Septem- 
ber, 1836.  In  a year  or  two  the  precinct  school- 
house  was  built,  and  thereafter  this  became  the 
gathering-place  for  the  country.  A class  was  organ- 
ized some  time  in  1838  or  1839,  and  as  nearly  as  we 
can  make  out  there  has  been  Methodist  preaching 
here  regularly  since  1835,  and  a regular  class  (or 
Church)  since  1839.  The  class  often  dwindled,  but 
never,  so  far  as  we  can  learn,  became  extinct.  The 
chief  causes  of  the  want  of  continued  prosperity 
were  found  in  the  Wesleyan  secession  and  the 
prevalence  of  Protestant  Methodists.  The  ap- 
pointment was  first  on  Princeton  Circuit,  then  on 
Little  Rock,  then  Paw  Paw,  and  lastly  Freedom. 


472 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


There  was  a small  village  here  as  early  as  1850, 
and  when  the  railroad  came  in  1853  a town  at 
once  began  to  grow  up.  At  the  conference  of  1853 
Freedom  Mission  was  set  off  from  the  old  Paw  Paw 
Circuit.  Hardin  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  cir- 
cuit, and  Elijah  Ransom,  a portly,  eloquent,  whole- 
souled  man,  was  sent  on  as  the  preacher.  From 
that  day  the  class  at  Earl  has  been  a growing  so- 
ciety, In  1854  Robert  Wright  came  on  to  the  Free- 
dom charge.  The  following  item  is  copied  from 
the  Advocate  in  1856 : Earlville  is  on  Freedom 

Circuit ; has  eight  hundred  inhabitants ; seven 
stores ; they  hope  to  commence  a church.^^ 

In  the  Spring  of  1856,  under  direction  of  Mr. 
Wright,  Church  trustees  were  elected  and  plans  for 
building  entered  upon.  The  church  was  finally 
partly  completed  in  1857,  but  on  account  of  the 
financial  collapse  was  left  deeply  in  debt.  R. 
Wright  was  followed  by  Charles  A.  Roe  in  1856. 
Mr.  Roe^s  health  failed  in  the  Spring,  and  B.  D. 
Himebaugh  supplied  the  Freedom  charge  for  three 
months.  Mr.  Himebaugh  found  the  church  an  in- 
closed windowless  shell,  and  the  society  worshiping 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  which  by  kindness  ot 
Mr.  Ustick  and  the  Presbyterian  society  was  opened 
once  in  two  weeks  in  the  afternoon  for  Methodist 
preaching.  Mr.  Himebaugh,  being  a carpenter, 
set  to  work  and  with  his  own  hands  laid  the  floor  of 
the  church,  and  rough  seats  being  put  in,  a quarterly- 
meeting was  held  in  the  house  July  4,  1857.  This 
was  the  first  meeting  ever  held  in  the  church.  In 
the  Fall  of  1857  G.  F.  Gage  was  sent  to  Freedom 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


473 


Circuit,  and  in  1858  Earl  became  a station,  and  Mr. 
Gage  was  continued  on  the  Earl  portion.  He  pur- 
chased of  the  Church  the  present  parsonage  lot  and 
built  the  present  parsonage  as  his  own  private 
property.  This  he  sold  on  removing  to  C.  K. 
Brown.  At  the  conference  of  1859  forty-five  mem- 
bers were  reported,  and  a Sunday-school  with  one 
hundred  scholars. 

In  1859  H.  Minard  was  sent  on  as  preacher,  but 
as  the  Church  was  poor  and  embarrassed  Mr.  Mi- 
nard left  three  months  before  conference,  and  the 
work  was  supplied  by  J.  Bush.  In  1860  fifty-four 
members  were  reported.  This  year  Earl  was  put 
in  connection  with  Somanauk,  and  Wesley  Sud- 
doth  was  supplied  by  the  elder.  Mr.  Suddoth  was 
followed  in  1862  by  W.  R.  Seeley,  another  supply. 

When  E.  Q.  Fuller  came  on  to  the  Mendota 
District,  in  1863,  the  former  elder  told  him  Earl 
was  hardly  worth  looking  after,  and  he  had  made 
no  provision  for  it.  The  place  was  left  to  be  sup- 
plied.Elder  Fuller  found  a man,  T.  B.  Taylor  by 
name,  who  had  been  a teacher  in  various  semi- 
naries, and  who  had  lately  come  from  the  army, 
where  he  had  been  a chaplain.  Mr.  Taylor  was 
rather  a wandering  planet,  and  yet  he  had  the  ele- 
ments of  popularity  about  him.  He  drew  something 
of  a congregation,  and  gave  the  Church  a start  up- 
ward. 

In  1864  William  A.  Cross  was  appointed  to  Earl. 
He  was  young,  agreeable,  and  zealous,  and  at  once 
began  to  gather  the  people  about  him.  He  held  a 
protracted  meeting  in  the  Winter  of  1865,  when 


474 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


there  were  as  many  as  a hundred  converts,  many 
of  whom  have  continued  to  this  day  to  be  active 
and  useful  Christians.  It  was  during  this  same 
Winter  that  through  political  strife  Mr.  Cross  re- 
ceived a donation  of  five  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars.  During  his  two  years  the  Church  was 
greatly  prosperous.  The  Sunday-school  took  a start 
upward.  In  the  Fall  of  1865,  through  the  efibrts 
of  Elder  Fuller  and  Mr.  Cross,  the  Church  debt, 
amounting  to  one  thousand  dollars,  was  paid  and 
the  parsonage  purchased  for  eight  hundred  dollars. 
Mr.  Cross  reported  to  conference  on  leaving  Earl 
in  1866  one  hundred  members;  Church  valued  at 
three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars;  parsonage  val- 
ued at  eight  hundred  dollars;  one  Sunday-school 
with  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  in  attendance. 

At  the  conference  of  1866  A.  D.  Field,  who  had 
been  for  two  years  at  the  county-seat  of  Kendall 
County,  was  sent  to  Earl.  In  the  Winter  of  1867 
seven  hundred  dollars  of  parsonage  and  Church 
debt  was  paid  off.  October  1,  1867,  the  following 
was  Mr.  Field^s  report  to  conference : Members, 
eighty-five ; scholars  in  Sunday-school,  two  hun- 
dred ; church  and  parsonage,  four  thousand  seven 
hundred  dollars;  raised  for  missions,  fifty  dollars; 
congregations  good ; Sunday-school  prosperous  ; 
singing  fine  ; preacher  well  paid ; and  all  things 
moving  prosperously.  During  the  two  years  from 
1866  to  1868  one  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  was 
raised  for  Church  debts  and  refurnishing. 

Plano,  which  appeared  as  a separate  charge  in 
1858,  had  been  for  many  years  in  the  bounds  of  the 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859, 


475 


old  Little  Rock  Circuit,  and  afterward  in  Sugar 
Grove  Circuit.  There  were  appointments  from  an 
early  day  near  by,  but  it  is  probable  the  first  meet- 
ings were  held  at  Plano  in  1855.  The  Methodists 
have  a fine  church,  and  the  society  is  in  a prosper- 
ous condition. 

Rockford  in  1883  had  four  prosperous  Churches, 
among  which  Third  Street  was  not  the  least. 
Hooper  Crews,  that  man  under  whom  the  work  al- 
ways prospered,  was  appointed  to  the  first  Church 
in  1856,  and  during  his  two  years  revival  influ- 
ences were  so  great,  especially  in  the  Winter  of 
1858,  the  society  became  so  large  there  was  hardly 
room  in  the  church  for  the  members,  there  being 
near  four  hundred  in  society.  Besides,  there  had 
been  for  some  time  a little  friction  between  the  old 
and  the  new  style  members.  An  influential  portion 
of  the  Church  desired  to  rent  the  pews,  but  a ma- 
jority were  opposed.  Accordingly,  under  the  lead 

of  William  Brown,  Solomon  Wheeler, Foster, 

and  other  energetic  men,  a new  society  was  organ- 
ized, which  proceeded  to  build  a church.  The 
church,  which  was  a neat  frame,  with  vestry  in  the 
rear,  with  a cottage  parsonage  by  its  side,  was  com- 
pleted in  1858.  In  all  their  arrangemejuts  this  so- 
ciety was  noted  for  energy  and  success.  In  1859 
there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  members, 
with  a church  worth  seven  thousand  dollars.  In 
1864  there  was  a report  of  two  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars  for  the  mission  cause,  being  one  dollar  and 
forty  cents  per  member.  In  1883  the  Third  Street 
and  the  old  church  reunited  in  the  new  Centenary 


476 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Church.  The  number  of  members  reported  to  the 
conference  in  1858  shows  an  increase  of  four  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  fifty-five  members  intone 
year,  the  increase  being  the  result  of  the  extensive 
revivals  of  that  year.  There  has  never  been  a year 
since  the  crucifixion  when  there  were  so  many  ad- 
ditions to  the  common  Church  of  Christ  as  in  the 
matchless  year  1858.  There  have  been  years 
when  the  Methodists  had  greater  meetings,  but  there 
were  never  such  universal  revivals.  The  New  York 
Tribune^  then  edited  by  semi-infidel  writers,  found 
it  to  conduce  to  its  interests  to  give  daily  reports, 
to  the  extent  of  nearly  a page,  of  the  doings  and 
sayings  of  the  revival  meetings  and  Union  Prayer- 
meetings  of  New  York  and  surrounding  places, 
thus  becoming  for  the  time  one  of  the  greatest  Gos- 
pel agencies.  Those  reports  stirred  up  the  whole 
country  to  labor.  In  the  Rock  River  Conference 
almost  every  charge  shared  in  these  interests.  At 
meetings  held  in  De  Kalb  there  were  eighty  con- 
versions ; at  Cedarville,  in  a three  weeks^  meeting, 
sixty-five  conversions;  at  Westfield  Corners,  Win- 
nebago Circuit,  under  labors  of  W.  F.  Stewart  and 
D.  C.  Howard,  there  were  one  hundred ; at  Kanka- 
kee, seventy-five ; at  Mt.  Morris,  under  labors  of 
R.  A.  Blanchard,  two  hundred  conversions,  among 
whom  were  eighty  students;  at  Kingston,  under 
T.  R.  Satterfield^s  labors,  one  hundred  and  fifty;  at 
Elgin,  sixty;  at  Sandwich,  under  labors  of  D.  L. 
Winslow,  seventy;  at  Barrington,  on  Dundee  Cir- 
cuit, under  C.  Lazenbee,  sixty;  at  Stillman,  on 
Light  House  Circuit,  under  D.  W.  Linn,  seventy; 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


477 


at  Savannah,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five ; at  Ore- 
gon, under  H.  L.  Martin,  forty;  at  Warren,  under 
William  Kegan,  seventy-five ; at  the  old  Church 
at  Buffalo  Grove,  under  the  labors  of  S.  F.  Denning, 
fifty-eight;  at  Marengo,  two  hundred  and  fifty;  at 
^Waukegan,  seventy-five  conversions.  These  are 
but  instances  of  the  progress  of  the  Masters  cause. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  these  few  we  have  noted 
amount  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-three 
conversions  in  that  glorious  Winter. 

There  came  into  the  conference  this  year  by  re- 
admission and  transfer  R.  J.  White,  who  went  the 
next  year  to  Missouri,  where  he  joined  the  Church 
South,^^  and  D.  C.  Howaed,  who  perhaps  ought 
to  have  gone  that  road ; a man  proscribed,  not  by 
the  conference,  but  by  the  people  for  political  views. 
He  was  a man  who  had  many  noble  traits,  but  be- 
coming rather  ambitious  ran  into  many  curious 
ways,  last  of  all  into  Universalism. 

The  conference  met  at  Galena  in  1859  for  its 
twentieth  session.  Bishop  Ames,  in  his  dignified 
way,  presided  for  the  third  time,  giving  great  satis- 
faction. Several  new  arrangements  were  adopted 
at  this  session.  Philo  Judson,  having  been  super- 
annuated for  some  years,  had  entered  upon  secular 
business  that  hindered  his  serving  as  secretary — 
an  office  he  had  filled  with  more  than  common  ac- 
ceptance since  1845,  serving  fourteen  sessions.  J, 
H.  Vincent,  who  had  been  assistant  the  year  before, 
and  after  only  two  years^  membership  in  the  con- 
ference, was  elected  to  ply  the  secretarial  pen.  S. 
F.  Denning  was  continued  assistant.  A.  D. 


478 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


Field  and  E.  Q.  Fuller  were  elected  statistical  sec- 
retaries, so  that  the  curious  fact  appeared  that  all 
four  of  these  secretaries  were  from  the  Mt.  Morris 
District,  over  which  S.  P.  Keyes  was  presiding  el- 
der. Statistical  secretary  was  a new  office.  Up  to 
1857  blanks  were  prepared  and  the  stewards  called 
the  preachers^  names  in  open  conference,  when  each 
preacher  reported  aloud  all  the  items  published  in 
the  form  of  reports.  This  consumed  the  time  of 
one  or  more  sessions.  In  1857  the  printed  blanks 
now  used  were  introduced  by  the  whole  connection, 
and  a committee  of  one  from  each  district  was  ap- 
pointed to  gather  up  the  statistics.  The  result  was 
a jumble,  and  conference  generally  adjourned  leav- 
ing the  work  unfinished.  At  Galena  the  conference 
adopted  the  practice,  now  the  universal  custom,  of 
electing  a statistical  secretary ^ who  does  all  the 
work — and  the  work  is  done.  This  is  a rule  worth 
making  a note  of  by  men  in  all  the  callings  of  life. 
If  you  want  a thing  neglected  set  a dozen  to  do 
it ; if  you  want  it  done  set  one  or  two  at  it.  A.  D. 
Field  was  statistical  secretary  for  thirteen  years. 

The  revivals  of  1858  introduced  street  preach- 
ing all  over  the  country.  In  Chicago  there  had 
been  preaching  and  temperance  addresses  in  the 
streets  with  some  success,  and  now  at  the  Galena 
Conference  the  practice  became  a hobby.  Cali- 
fornia Taylor  (Rev.  William  now  Bishop  Taylor) 
was  there  to  set  the  thing  in  motion.  He  opened 
the  way  Wednesday  afternoon  on  a vacant  block, 
and  Robert  L.  Collier  followed  on  Thursday  after- 
noon. Dr.  Eddy  took  up  the  strain  on  Friday,  but 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


479 


a congregation  of  preachers  was  about  all  the  re- 
sult, and  the  thing  was  given  up.  In  a land  of 
churches  street  preaching  does  not  succeed  well. 

The  men  received  on  trial  were  D.  J.  Holmes, 
student  of  Mt.  Morris,  Yale,  and  Williams  College, 
and  of  the  Biblical  Institute,  who  during  all  these 
years  from  1848  to  1859  passed  as  a wit,  and  who 
has  not  yet  gotten  beyond  the  reputation,  but  who 
to  his  wit  is  adding  a more  serious  purpose ; Ed- 
WAED  P.  Hart,  a convert  of  Dr.  Redfield’s  at  Ma- 
rengo, who  at  the  end  of  this  year  left  the  Church ; 
A.  W.  Paige,  an  efficient  worker;  William  H. 
Smith,  a whole-souled  revivalist,  a second  Miles  L. 
Reed,  a driver ; and  W.  A.  Cross,  not  the  least  in 
a family  of  amiable,  useful  preachers.  Among  the 
transfers  were  William  Krebs,  one  of  the  importa- 
tions of  Wabash  Avenue,  who  returned  to  Balti- 
more after  his  year  and  a half  service  at  the  avenue ; 
and  Professor  G.  W.  Quereau,  for  years  the  ener- 
getic principal  of  Clark  Seminary,  who  to  a match- 
less symmetry  of  character  adds  the  zeal  of  an  old- 
time  Methodist  preacher.  He  had  been  for  many 
years  previous  to  coming  West  principal  of  the 
Providence  Conference  Seminary  at  East  Green- 
wich, Rhode  Island.  Eleven  new  charges  were 
constituted  in  1859. 

Brickton,  which  had  been  before  an  appoint- 
ment on  the  Niles  Circuit,  received  J.  T.  Hanna. 
George  W.  Penny,  a noted  briek-maker  and  a Chi- 
cago Methodist,  set  up  a brick-yard  some  twelve 
miles  from  Chicago,  and  called  the  little  village 
that  gathered  around  Brickton.  A church  was 


480 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


commenced  in  1855  and  a preacher  asked  for  this 
year,  and  eighty-two  members  were  reported  in 
1860.  But  like  most  of  the  settlements  in  Cook 
County  the  Germans  are  in  a majority,  and  Amer- 
ican Churches  prosper  poorly.  In  1864  Brickton 
had  sixty-four  members,  a church  and  parsonage, 
and  a Sunday-school  with  two  hundred  scholars. 
In  1871  the  name  was  changed  to  Park  Ridge. 

Harvard  appeared  in  name  in  1858,  but  it  was 
only  another  name  for  Big  Foot.  It  became  a sep- 
arate charge  in  1859.  Harvard  is  a growing  town, 
which  began  its  existence  in  1856  on  the  North- 
western Railway.  There  was  a Methodist  ap- 
pointment and  class  established  in  the  Diggins 
Settlement’^  a mile  south-east  of  Harvard  in 
1839,  by  L.  S.  Walker.  Until  1843  this  was  a 
prominent  appointment  on  the  Crystal  Lake  Cir- 
cuit. The  fourth  quarterly-meeting  for  1839-40 
was  held  there  August  14,  1840,  John  Clark  pre- 
siding, and  among  the  quarterage  receipts  for  the 
year  sixty-one  dollars  and  thirty-one  cents  was  re- 
ported from  the  Diggins  Class.”  Wesley  Diggins 
was  a steward.  Another  quarterly-meeting  was  held 
in  the  settlement  February  26,  1842,  with  Jonathan 
Manzer  as  secretary  of  the  conference.  The  Miller- 
ites  and  AVesleyans  used  up  the  society,  dividing  it 
between  them  in  1843,  and  from  that  time  there 
was  no  regular  preaching  or  class  nearer  than  Che- 
mung and  Big  Foot  till  1857,  when  James  McClane, 
who  was  on  the  Chemung  Circuit,  began  to  preach 
in  a room  in  E.  J.  Sanford’s  tavern.  In  1857 
Harvard  became  a regular  appointment  of  Big 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859, 


481 


Foot  Circuit,  and  H.  W.  Richardson,  the  pastor, 
organized  a class  and  preached  once  in  two  weeks 
in  Mansfield  Hall,  which  was  burned  down  in  1863. 
In  the  Winter  of  1858  there  was  a gracious  revival, 
the  meetings  being  held  every  night  for  some  time 
in  Mansfield  Hall.  The  class  when  organized  con- 
sisted of  E.  J.  Sanford,  leader,  and  his  wife,  E.  S. 
Sanford,  Brother  and  Sister  Lowell,  George  Park- 
hurst,  and  William  Bowen.  The  church  was  built 
chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  T.  B.  Wakeman  in 
1859,  and  dedicated  by  Bishop  Ames.  In  1860  J. 
H.  Moore,  fresh  from  secular  life,  went  on  the  charge, 
and  himself  and  George  Richardson,  who  was  teach- 
ing in  the  place,  carried  on  a very  prosperous  re- 
vival meeting  in  1861.  The  revival  was  set  in  mo- 
tion by  a sermon  preached  by  William  Taylor  some 
time  in  December.  Church  debts  and  at  times  a want 
of  harmony  hindered  the  work  there,  but  no  doubt 
Harvard  is  to  become  one  of  our  best  appointments. 

Round  Prairie,  which  gave  name  to  a circuit 
in  1859,  with  William  R.  Irvine  as  preacher,  be- 
came a preaching-place  and  a regular  appointment 
on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit  in  1839.  The  class  was 
organized  in  1838,  when  the  appointment  was  on 
Rockford  Circuit.  The  meetings  were  held  in  an 
old  school-house  built  of  poplar  logs  at  the  corner 
two  miles  south  of  Union  Corners  Church.  The 
first  quarterly-meeting  of  the  new  Crystal  Lake 
Circuit  was  held  at  Round  Prairie  November  4, 
1839.  John  Clark  was  present  as  presiding  elder, 
and  R.  E.  Streeter  was  secretary.  C.  H.  Staples, 
Uriah  Cottle,  Jonathan  Manzer,  William  Deats, 

41 


482 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Wesley  Diggins,  J.  Walkup,  and  R.  K.  Hurd  were 
present  at  the  quarterly  conference.  This  was 
probably  the  first  quarterly-meeting  held  on  the 
prairie.  During  the  year  J.  D.  Maxon  and  W.  R. 
Streeter  appealed  to  the  quarterly  conference  from 
charges  presented  by  Gibson  Wright  concerning 
claim  quarrels.  Round  Prairie  reported  as  quarter- 
age during  the  year  sixty-four  dollars.  In  1840 
R.  C.  Hovey  was  at  quarterly-meetings  as  leader 
from  Round  Prairie.  In  1842  the  appointment  was 
attached  to  the  Belvidere  Charge,  with  R.  A. 
Blanchard  as  preacher.  The  old  frame  school- 
house  in  the  Hovey  neighborhood  at  the  east  end 
of  the  prairie  was  built  in  1841  with  lumber  hauled 
from  Chicago,  and  the  preaching  moved  there. 
About  1845  an  appointment  was  established  at 
Union  Corners.  The  prairie  was  for  a number  of 
years  included  in  the  Big  Foot  Circuit.  For  a 
time  there  was  a store  at  Parks  Corners,  and  that 
point  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  prairie,  but  by 
1859  Union  Corners  began  to  take  the  lead.  There 
was  an  effort  made  to  build  a church  in  18.57,  but 
as  the  place  was  to  be  decided  upon  by  the  largest 
subscription  the  matter  created  wrangling  and  the 
scheme  failed.  In  1860  A.  D.  Field  went  on  the 
charge,  and  remained  two  years.  In  1862  he  began 
the  Round  Prairie  Church.  To  procure  the  lot  he 
was  obliged  to  pace  the  streets,  a bitter  cold  night, 
until  one  o^clock,  with  Gibson  Wright.  The  lot 
cost  seventy-five  dollars.  The  church  was  built 
during  the  Summer  of  1862.  It  is  thirty  by  forty- 
two,  with  a neat  vestry  in  the  rear.  It  was  dedi- 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


483 


cated  in  August  by  A.  P.  Mead,  then  stationed  at 
Rockford,  the  text  for  the  occasion  being  On  this 
rock  will  I build  my  Church,  and  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  it/^  I.  The  foes.  II.  The 
stability  of  the  Church.  The  preacher  in  charge, 
who  had  superintended  the  whole  building,  draft- 
ing every  item  of  work,  read  the  following  report : 
Whole  cost,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  dollars ; indebtedess,  two  hundred  and  seven- 
teen dollars  and  fifty  cents;  good  subscriptions, 
two  hundred  and  eighteen  dollars.  So  that  there 
was  no  money-raising  on  the  day  of  dedication. 
The  ladies  raised  the  money  for  furnishing.  The 
appointments  were  at  the  stone  school-house  two 
miles  north  of  Union  Corners,  Union  Corners, 
frame  school-house,  and  Capron.  During  the  Win- 
ter of  1861  there  was  a glorious  revival  at  the 
Lumly  School-house,  half  a mile  north  of  Capron, 
with  many  conversions.  The  Capron  Class  was 
organized  in  this  school-house  by  William  R.  Ir- 
vine in  the  Spring  of  1860,  and  in  1864  meetings 
were  removed  to  the  station.  The  names  of  the 
first  members  were  : Asia  Pease,  and  wife,  Cornelia 
and  Marcella  Pease,  George  and  Catharine  Lumly, 
Simon  Todd  and  wife,  George  Kirk  and  wife,  Will- 
iam Wooster,  and  Lucius  Wilcox.  In  the  years 
1859,  1860,  1861,  and  1862,  very  profitable  camp- 
meetings  were  held  at  Parks  Corners,  on  land  be- 
longing to  that  cheerful-hearted  local  preacher, 
Samuel  Parks.  Those  of  1861,  1862,  were  more 
than  commonly  blest.  At  the  first  great  help  was 
rendered  by  Wesley  Lattin,  J.  H.  Vincent,  E.  Q. 


484 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Fuller,  and  S.  F.  Denning;  at  the  second  (1862) 
A.  P.  Mead  was  a very  efficient  worker.  At  this 
meeting  on  Sunday  night  there  was  preaching  and 
love-feast  followed  by  the  sacrament.  The  night 
was  still,  and  as  the  lamp-light  glimmered  through 
the  drooping  trees  all  was  grand  and  solemn  as  an 
ancient  temple  or  the  garden  over  Kedron,  remind- 
ing one  of  the  solemn  hush  preceding  the  opening  of 
the  portals  of  eternal  life.  Hundreds  at  that  heavenly 
midnight  hour  came  and  knelt  around  the  sacramental 
board.  When  the  solemn  Paschal  feast  was  over 
R.  A.  Blanchard  arose  and  sang  a judgment  hymn. 
All  was  still,  with  not  a rustle  or  a whisper,  save 
the  suppressed " prayers  and  whispered  glorys,^^ 
which  broke  gently  from  devout  lips,  and  the  clear 
tones  of  the  thrilling  song  reverberated  through  trees 
and  tents,  borne  on  the  midnight  air.  Ending  the 
song,  the  elder  invited  penitents  to  the  altar.  Many 
came  to  dedicate  themselves  in  that  glorious  hour 
to  the  Savior  of  wandering  souls. 

The  members  at  Round  Prairie  in  1839  were 
W.  R.  Streeter,  wife,  and  mother,  R.  E.  Streeter, 
Jacob  Streeter,  Gibson  Wright,  J.  D.  Maxon,  R.  C. 
Hovey,  and  R.  K.  Hurd;  Benjamin  and  Elijah 
Bowman  settled  there  in  1840. 

A charge  was  formed  in  1859,  bearing  the  name 
of  Mt.  Pleasant,  which  in  1863  properly  became 
Ogle.  In  1836  the  preacher  on  Buffalo  Grove 
Circuit  (James  McKean)  crossed  to  the  east  side  of 
Rock  River,  and  established  an  appointment  at 
Washington  Grove.  During  that  year  a log  chapel 
was  built  between  Washington  and  Lafayette  Groves. 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858--1859. 


485 


This  chapel  was  burned  down  in  1838  by  some  one 
out  of  spite,  and  immediately  a small  frame  chapel 
was  erected.  This  became  one  of  the  main  preach- 
ing-places on  Light  House  Point  Circuit,  and  con- 
tinued to  be  a gathering  point  until  1855.  About 
that  time  the  ‘‘  Dixon  Air  Line  Railway  was 
constructed,  and  the  Light  House  Point  preachers 
pushed  their  appointments  as  far  as  Rochelle  and 
Dement.  About  1854  people  began  to  push  out  into 
the  prairie  south  of  Lafayette  Grove  toward  Ogle. 
Many  of  these  settlers  were  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Church  at  the  old  chapel  and  Light  House. 
A.  G.  Smith  established  an  appointment  at  Mt. 
Pleasant  School-house  in  the  Spring  of  1855.  At 
a camp-meeting  held  in  the  Summer  of  1855  at 
Washington  Grove  a good  work  was  broken  up  by 
a heavy  rain,  and  the  meetings  adjourned  to  a stone 
school-house  two  miles  north  of  Ogle.  The  preach- 
ers left  for  conference,  and  S.  G.  Forbes,  a revivalist 
from  the  East,  carried  on  the  meetings.  The  house 
was  thronged  for  six  weeks,  and  a large  society  was 
at  once  organized.  The  appointment  was  attached 
to  Lane  in  1856  and  to  Franklin  in  1857.  A 
church  was  commenced  on  a high  prairie  two  miles 
north  of  Ogle,  which  was  not  finished  until  1857. 
The  church  was  a very  fine  one,  built  of  stone  with 
basement,  and  cost  four  thousand  dollars.  All 
things  were  ready  for  dedication  November  19, 
1857,  but  the  weather  became  so  cold  few  could  get 
out,  and  the  appointed  preacher  did  not  come. 
Those  who  gathered  urged  their  pastor  to  preach, 
and  he  complied,  using  as  a text : How  amiable 


486 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


are  thy  tabernacles,  O Lord  of  hosts/^  (Psalm 
XXX vi,  1.)  This  was  the  first  sermon  in  the  house 
after  it  was  finished.  The  real  dedication  took 
place  at  the  quarterly-meeting  Sunday  morning,  Jan- 
uary 10,  1858.  The  services  were  conducted  by  the 
presiding  elder,  Luke  Hitchcock,  who  used  as  a text : 
^^How  shall  they  hear  without  a preacher?  and  how 
shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent  It  was  a driz- 
zling, rainy  day,  so  that  few  were  present  from  beyond 
the  neighborhood.  In  a short  time  one  thousand 
two  hundred  dollars  in  subscriptions  were  secured. 
The  church  was  commenced  in  the  most  prosperous 
times,  but  was  not  completed  until  after  the  crash 
of  1857,^^  consequently  the  Church  was  embarrassed 
by  debts.  A new  church  was  undertaken  at  the 
same  time  on  the  site  of  the  old  chapel  of  1836, 
and  between  the  two  both  were  a failure.  The 
stone  church  should  have  been  at  Ogle,  and  a church 
built  at  the  old  chapel  place.  H.  L.  Martin,  when 
on  the  Light  House  Circuit,  preached  at  Ogle  in 
1856;  and  in  the  Fall  of  that  year  Ogle  became 
one  of  the  appointments  on  Franklin  Circuit,  and 
in  1859  Ogle,  with  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  be- 
came a separate  charge.  The  preaching  until  1858 
was  in  a small  room  over  a store  owned  by  Alfred 
Chapman.  During  the  Summer  of  1859  the  stone 
school-house  was  built,  and  the  present  writer  had 
the  privilege  of  preaching  the  first  sermon  in  it. 
This  school-house  w^as  used  until  1864,  when  a new 
church  w^as  dedicated,  which  had  been  built  under 
the  supervision  of  the  preacher,  James  McClane. 
The  Free  Methodists  had  the  start,  however,  they 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


487 


having  built  in  1861.  On  this  Ogle  charge  were 
some  of  the  truest  Methodist  people  we  have  ever 
known.  Many  of  the  best,  we  are  sorry  to  say, 
were  led  away  by  the  wild  Nazarite  waves  of 
1860. 

Yorkville  appeared  on  the  Minutes  of  1859, 
but  had  been  a separate  work  the  year  before.  The 
Hough  neighborhood  on  Somanauk  Creek  became 
the  head-quarters  of  Somanauk  Circuit  in  1837, 
with  Stephen  Arnold  as  preacher.  In  1839  E. 
Springer,  who  was  on  the  Somanauk  Circuit,  or- 
ganized a class  at  Bristol,  of  which  F.  A.  Em- 
mons was  leader,  and  since  there  was  a society 
in  the  only  village  of  the  circuit  at  the  confer- 
ence of  1839  the  name  was  changed  to  Bristol, 
and  A.  F.  Rogers  sent  on  as  preacher.  A house 
was  bought  for  a parsonage,  in  which  Waldo  Marsh 
had  lived,  in  which  Mr.  Rogers,  Harvey  Hadley, 
and  William  Kimball  lived  when  they  were  on  the 
Bristol  Circuit.  The  appointments  were  at  Bristol, 
Sugar  Grove,  Little  Rock,  and  at  the  head  of 
Somanauk.  In  1842  the  Wesleyan  excitement  rose 
high,  and  William  Kimball,  the  preacher,  did  all 
he  could  to  fan  the  flame.  Mr.  Kimball  and  Rufus 
Lummery  occupied  the  country  from  Aurora  to  Ot- 
tawa on  the  east  side  of  Fox  River,  and  as  they  both 
went  to  the  Wesleyans  they  nearly  broke  up  the 
Methodist  classes  of  their  circuits.  By  this  course 
Bristol  Circuit  became  broken  up,  and  there 
was  little  preaching  at  Bristol  until  1846.  The 
preaching  from  1838  to  1842  had  been  in  an  old 
school-house  most  of  the  time,  but  occasionally  in 


488 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


a small  Baptist  Church.  William  Royal  preached 
in  Yorkville,  across  the  river  from  Bristol,  in  Mr. 
Duryea^s  house  in  1835  and  1836;  S.  R.  Beggs,  in 
1844;  and  J.  C.  Stoughton  in  1849  preached  in  a 
brick  school-house  in  Yorkville,  in  1865  used  as  a 
German  parsonage.  In  1845  a circuit  was  revived, 
covering  the  regions  embraced  in  the  old  Bristol 
work,  and  called  Little  Rock,  with  O.  W.  Hunger 
as  preacher.  Mr.  Hunger  re-established  the  ap- 
pointment at  Bristol,  which  was  kept  up  until  1859, 
when  the  society  moved  its  meetings  across  the 
river  to  Yorkville.  Bristol  remained  on  Little 
Rock  Circuit  until  1854,  when  it  was  attached  to 
Oswego  Charge.  In  1858  the  class  at  Bristol  de- 
sired to  be  left  to  shift  for  themselves.  They  em- 
ployed M.  Lewis,  a local  preacher,  and  set  about 
building  a church  in  Bristol,  but  failed.  Elias  and 
Jacob  Black,  who  owned  mills  in  Yorkville,  made 
liberal  offers,  and  since  there  was  no  church  on  the 
Yorkville  side  the  offer  was  accepted  and  a church 
built  and  completed  in  time  to  be  dedicated  in  Oc- 
tober, 1859,  just  after  the  conference  of  that 
year.  Dr.  Eddy  was  called  upon  to  dedicate  the 
new  church.  M.  Lewis  continued  on  the  work  until 
1860,  when  he  reported  fifty  members  and  two  Sun- 
day-schools, with  fifty  scholars.  In  1861,  the  Sugar 
Grove  Circuit  having  become  disintegrated,  Jericho 
and  Bristol  Station  were  attached  to  the  charge. 
Sugar  Grove  Circuit  was  formed  in  1854,  and  T.  L. 
Olmsted  sent  on  as  supply.  He  established  an 
appointment  at  the  Cement  school-house,  a mile  and 
a half  north-east  of  Bristol  Station,  and  organized 


CONFERENCES  OF  1858-1859. 


489 


a class.  The  members  were  C.  H.  Raymond  and 
wife,  Mrs.  E.  Young,  Melia  Young,  and  a few  others. 
During  the  year  there  was  quite  a revival  in  the 
neighborhood,  when  many  of  the  present  members 
were  added  to  the  Church.  The  meetings  were  con- 
tinued in  the  Cement  school-house  until  1858,  when 
they  were  removed  to  Bristol  Station.  Since  then 
there  has  been  a regular  appointment,  with  a small 
class  at  the  station  worshiping  in  the  upper  room 
of  the  town  school-house,  and  several  years  ago  a 
new  church  was  built.  There  were  still  in  the  York- 
ville  Society  in  1865  a few  of  the  earliest  mem- 
bers, among  whom  are  F.  A.  Emmons,  the  first  class 
leader,  and  Waldo  Marsh. 


490 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAF>TKR  XXX. 

THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1860. 

IN  1860  the  conference  met  for  the  fourth  time  in 
Chicago.  Bishop  Janes  presided  for  the  third 
time.  The  first  Chicago  Conference  was  held  in  a 
small  frame  Baptist  Church ; the  second  and  third 
in  the  brick  church  built  in  1845,  and  this,  the  fourth, 
met  in  the  audience-room  of  the  Methodist  Block. 
The  fifth  as,  we  shall  see,  was  held  in  1864  in  Wa- 
bash Avenue  Church.  The  conference  in  1860  had 
arrived  at  a position  of  prominence.  Churches 
were  found  in  most  of  the  charges.  There  were 
now  one  hundred  and  eleven  traveling  ministers ; 
nineteen  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
members ; Church  property  worth  six  hundred  and 
forty-four  thousand  dollars ; and  two  hundred  and 
eighty-nine  Sunday-schools,  with  seventeen  thousand 
eight  hundred  scholars. 

Concerning  the  preachers  received  at  this  and 
the  following  conferences  we  will  say  little,  since 
they  were  in  1865  yet  in  their  first  labors  and  to  a 
great  extent  undeveloped.  Of  transfers  we  may  be 
allowed  to  give  short  notices.  Of  the  preachers 
who  received  appointments  twenty  years  before,  in 
1840  at  the  Mt.  Morris  Conference,  only  seven  re- 
ceived appointments  in  1860.  They  were  Hooper 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1860. 


491 


Crews,  R.  A.  Blanchard,  Nathan  Jewett,  Milton 
Bourne,  L.  S.  Walker,  Barton  H.  Cartwright,  and  S. 
P.  Keyes. 

Some  of  the  preachers  had  passed  during  the 
year  through  stormy  times.  The  wild  scenes  of 
Nazaritism  or  Free  Methodism  had  culminated  in 
secessions.  We  have  hesitated  to  say  any  thing 
upon  this  subject  from  the  fact  that  no  pen  can  lay 
before  the  reader  the  true  animus  of  that  secession. 
That  curious  people  should  have  been  seen  to  have 
been  fully  appreciated.  There  are  those  who  think 
best  to  keep  from  our  historic  pages  all  reference 
to  Church  troubles.  We  have  observed  that  these 
accounts  are  warnings  to  those  who  come  after  and 
never  do  harm.  No  one  of  sense  will  think  less  of 
a Church  because  that  Church  has  had  difficulties, 
unless  the  difficulties,  as  is  the  case  with  Congrega- 
tionalism, arise  from  inherent  defects.  The  diffi- 
culties which  ended  in  the  organization  of  the  Free 
Methodist  Church  in  the  Fall  of  1860  had  their 
origin  and  their  culmination  principally  in  the 
bounds  of  the  Genesee  Conference.  There  were 
many  elements  entering  into  the  difficulties,  which 
produced  distraction  and  a secession  of  the  wildest 
people  history  has  known,  unless  we  except  the 
Adamites,  who  in  (we  believe)  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury worshiped  in  promiscuous  crowds  in  a state 
of  nudity.  The  first  element  had  been  operating 
for  twenty  years.  It  is  probably  known  to  most 
that  about  1830  the  politics  of  the  State  of  New 
York  hinged  on  Masonry,  and  the  Anti-masons 
elected  at  one  time  a governor  and  other  State 


492 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


officers.  It  was  the  most  bitter  and  criminating 
quarrel  that  ever  cursed  a people.  The  Churches 
were  divided,  and  dissensions  arose  in  the  Metho- 
dist Church,  which  continued  to  operate  until  the 
troubles  of  1860.  A second  element  was  a division 
on  what  was  called  old-fashioned  Methodism,^^ 
one  of  the  most  fallacious  ideas  that  ever  bewild- 
ered a soul.  A minister  will  visit  a village  where  a 
few  Methodists  have  settled.  Gathering  them  into 
a little  class,  meetings  will  be  held  in  private  dwell- 
ings, a school-house,  or  a hall.  A revival  will  break 
out,  and  in  the  humble  and  rude  meeting-place  the 
people  will  sing  without  form,  and  feel  entirely 
free  in  their  happy,  new  society  life.  Members  in- 
crease, and  the  plaee  of  meeting  becomes  too  small, 
and  they  set  about  building  a church.  The  patrons 
having  been  prospered  live  in  pleasant  homes,  and 
what  is  more  natural  than  that  they  should  desire 
to  have  a neat  church?  The  people  of  the  com- 
munity feel  an  interest,  and  the  village  ladies  join 
the  movement,  fitting  up  the  new  house  in  a neat 
manner.  They  have  been  used  to  singing  altogether 
in  the  school-house,  but  they  can  not  do  it  as  well 
in  the  church,  and  the  singing  becomes  a failure. 
In  the  small  room  they  could  sing  in  concord,  but 
in  the  larger  church  there  is  no  one  voiee  that  can 
lead  in  harmony  the  larger  congregation,  and  those 
who  are  not  independent  singers  cease  to  sing.  To 
remedy  this  an  instrument  of  some  kind — melodeon 
or  organ — is  brought  in  to  lead  the  singing.  Some- 
times with  this  there  is  congregational  singing; 
sometimes  a cluster  form  a choir.  Having  a church 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1860. 


493 


many  citizens  finely  appareled  are  soon  found  in  at- 
tendance, and  often  the  meetings  take  on  a staid 
(too  staid,  we  admit)  form.  Soon  there  will  be  those 
who  will  believe  that  they  had  better  times  in  the 
old  school-house,  and,  looking  back  to  the  humble 
worship  and  the  revival  where  they  were  converted, 
made  radiant  by  memories  of  their  first  love,  they 
call  it  ^^old-fashioned  Methodism,^^  a thing  about 
as  good  to  go  back  to  as  the  old-fashioned  stage- 
coach, the  tallow-candle,  or  the  things  that  were  ere 
Van  Winkle  fell  asleep!  There  is  one  other  in- 
gredient to  this — all  things  to  a soul  in  its  first  love 
look  lovely.  Preachers  and  people  are  often 
led  away  by  this  fallacy.  Many  years  ago  Dr. 
Elias  Bowen,  of  the  Oneida  Conference,  was  in- 
vited to  dedicate  a church  in  which  an  organ  was 
set  up,  and  he  obliged  the  trustees  to  promise  to  re- 
move the  organ  ere  he  would  preach  the  dedication 
sermon.  Again,  revivalists  by  profession  are 
often  in  fashion.  A Church  and  ministers  would 
labor  on,  sowing  and  culturing  the  good  seed,  and 
when  the  fields  were  ripe  the  revivalist  would  come 
along,  and  by  his  efforts  hundreds  would  be  con- 
verted. These  men  received  all  the  credit,  while 
the  men  who  had  labored  in  preparation  were 
counted  of  little  worth.  Men  who,  if  they  settled 
down  in  a charge  for  two  years,  would  ruin  it  in 
six  weeks,  would  sweep  things,  and  conclude  that 
all  others  were  worthless.  There  came  to  be  these 
two  classes  in  the  Genesee  Conference.  There  were 
the  more  intellectual,  faithful  laborers,  and  the 
stormy  kind  of  men  ; and  as  jealousies  arose  between 


494 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


the  two  they  ceased  to  work  in  harmony.  By  and 
by  the  zealous  revival  sort  began  to  go  into  the 
charges,  where  the  other  class  of  preachers  were 
appointed,  and  hold  meetings  where  the  preacher  in 
charge  would  for  the  time  be  set  aside,  and  often 
ill-treated,  and  spoken  of  in  a sneering  way  in  the 
presence  of  his  own  people.  These  two  classes 
about  equally  divided  the  preachers  in  the  Genesee 
Conference,  and  each  party  strove  to  get  possession 
of  the  influential  positions.  Sometimes  men  of  one 
party  would  be  presiding  elders ; sometimes  of  the 
other.  Things  had  come  to  such  a pass  by  1858 
that  independent  meetings  were  held  in  all  parts 
of  the  conference.  The  early  Methodists  had  often 
found  in  their  societies  zealous,  noisy  people,  who 
were  prized  for  their  goodness,  but  noise  was  never 
sought  as  a good,  only  accepted  as  an  accompani- 
ment ; the  rising  Nazarites  made  noise  a condition, 
and  instead  of  having,  as  the  early  Methodists  did, 
here  and  there  noisy  people,  the  new  school  drew 
around  its  altars  all  the  enthusiasts  of  the  land, 
and  one  must  be  an  enthusiast  or  he  could  not  pass 
muster.  They  adopted  as  their  motto : Free  seats, 
congregational  singing,  plainness  in  dress,  and  a 
noisy,  free  way  of  doing  things  that  banished  all 
propriety. 

They  also  professed  to  be  the  only  true  teach- 
ers of  holiness,  and  by  this  last  profession  deceived 
more  persons  than  by  any  other  means.  But  their 
^Mioliness  was  neither  Wesleyan  nor  Biblical. 
With  some  just  ideas  of  the  true  way  of  life  they 
mingled  many  crude  and  absurd  notions.  They  ac- 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  I860. 


495 


cepted  and  taught  Adamic  perfection.  We  heard 
one  of  their  preachers  at  the  Bonus  Camp-meeting 
in  1861  shouting  as  he  walked  the  desk : Glory 

to  God  for  Adamic  perfection  Dr.  Redfield,  the 
great  leader,  says  in  an  article : We  are  compelled 

to  indorse  the  doctrine  that  redemption  must  cover 
the  entire  evil  resting  on  our  race  resulting  from 
the  fall ; in  breadth  it  must  coyer  our  moral 
nature  and  our  mental  faculties,  embracing  reason, 
memory,  and  all  else  pertaining  to  a thinking 
being.^^  Mr.  Wesley  says  : Indeed,  my  judgment  is 

that  to  overdo  is  to  undoy  and  that  to  set  perfection 
too  high  is  the  most  effectual  way  of  driving  it  out 
of  the  world.^^  Man,^^  he  says,  in  his  pres- 
ent state  can  no  more  attain  Adamic  perfection  than 
angelic  perfection.^^  And  yet  the  great  cry  against 
the  loyal  Methodist  preachers  was  that  they  had  re- 
jected the  doctrines  of  Wesley.  The  chief  error  of 
the  free  people  was  in  lowering  justification ; hence 
in  their  tirades  against  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  and  her  ministers  their  chief  burden  was — 
persons  not  sanctified  were  unfit  to  belong  to  the 
Church.  Many  persons  with  whose  experience  the 
writer  was  well  acquainted  had  been  living  cold- 
hearted  and  worldly,  hardly  being  fit  to  have  a 
name  in  the  Church — some  of  them  never  con- 
verted— who,  under  the  idea  of  seeking  holiness, 
would  be  thoroughly  converted  or  reclaimed,  and 
would  call  their  position  holiness  and  their  old  position 
justification.  One  woman  of  our  acquaintance  said 
in  meeting,  and  her  experience  was  but  a type  of 
the  experience  of  the  whole  body  of  the  Nazarites: 


496 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


I was  for  a long  time  a member  of  the  Church, 
living  only  in  the  enjoyment  of  pardon.  But  I 
was  unhappy.  Sometimes  I was  so  miserable  I 
was  near  ending  my  own  life,  and  came  near  mak- 
ing shipwreck  of  the  marriage  relation ; but  since  I 
have  obtained  this  great  blessing  I have  never  been 
troubled,  but  am  free  indeed. Having  such  an 
experience  they  would  conclude  all  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  were  in  such  a sad  condition. 
And  none  under  our  observation  became  Nazarites 
but  reclaimed,  backslidden  professors,  while  all  who 
were  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  Nazarite  liv- 
ing in  the  enjoyment  of  religion,  remained  un- 
swerved from  their  position  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  The  only  exceptions  to  the  rule 
were  among  those  who  previous  to  the  disaflFec- 
tions  were  brought  into  the  Church  by  Dr.  Redfield. 
There  was  yet  another  element,  which  hastened  se- 
cession. For  several  years  previous  to  the  General 
Conference  of  1856  William  Hosmer  had  been  editor 
of  the  Northern  AdvocatCy  published  by  the  Church 
at  Auburn,  New  York.  This  was  in  the  days 
of  the  slavery  excitement  in  Church  and  State. 
Mr.  Hosmer  had  grown  rabid  on  the  question,  and 
was  making  the  Northern  the  organ  of  sedition. 
The  General  Conference,  whose  duty  it  was,  elected 
F.  G.  Hibbard,  a man  as  truly  antislavery  as  Hos- 
mer, but  more  prudent,  as  editor  of  the  paper.  The 
factions  of  New  York,  led  on  by  Hiram  Mattison, 
a self-seeking,  restless  spirit,  who  would  destroy  a 
world  if  he  might  have  the  credit  of  recreating  it, 
and  who  was  only  kept  in  sight  because  he  held  on 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  1860. 


497 


to  the  Church  just  as  a barnacle  travels  by  fasten- 
ing itself  to  a ship,  united  in  establishing  an  oppo- 
sition paper,  over  which  William  Hosmer  was  set 
as  editor,  under  the  name  of  The  Northern  Inde- 
pendent. It  was  a very  small  imitation  of  the  New 
York  Independent,  that  religious  power,  and  was  a 
living  shame  on  the  men  who  began  and  upheld 
it.  A man  with  a grievance,’^  no  matter  what, 
getting  hold  of  a paper  or  a pulpit,  can  lead  in- 
numerable partisans  after  him.  Churches,  repu- 
tation, any  thing,  will  be  left  to  ruin,  to  fol- 
low a factious  man.  The  Independent  was  in 
no  sense  a Nazarite  paper,  but  it  became  the  or- 
gan of  all  the  disappointed,  disaffected  persons  in 
the  whole  Church.  It  became  the  sewer  into  which 
was  poured  the  poisonous  venom  of  every  faction- 
ist  from  Maine  to  Kansas;  from  Edgar  Conkling 
to  B.  T.  Roberts.  The  paper  was  sent  to  old 
friends  of  the  Northern  all  over  the  land,  and  every- 
where people  were  led  to  believe  our  Church  a 
Sodom,  our  bishops  tyrants,  and  our  ministers  men 
of  Satan.  The  Nazarites  made  it  their  organ,  and 
by  its  means  spread  their  peculiar  spirit  throughout 
the  Church,  publishing  therein  every  lie  and  tor- 
tured truth  that  could  be  hunted  up  that  would  tell 
against  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  We  can 
not  wonder  that  the  people  were  lead  away,  for  of 
late  in  reviewing  the  matter  while  reading  back 
numbers  of  the  Free  Methodist  paper  we  should 
have  been  confused  had  we  not  been  acquainted 
with  the  facts,  which  were  not  at  all  as  represented 
by  the  immaculate  young  ministers  of  the  Redfield 


498 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


clique.  At  last  in  1860  the  crisis  came  on.  We 
have  given  a view  of  the  preparation  for  it  in  the 
East;  a word  concerning  the  preparation  in  the 
West.  Dr.  Redfield  was  one  of  the  chief  agents 
both  East  and  West.  In  the  early  days  of  his  la- 
bors he  was  acceptable  as  a revivalist,  but  always 
had  many  unpleasant  ways  and  notions,  which  had 
to  be  borne  with.  His  whole  experience  in  his 
early  Christian  life  was  a morbid  one.  He  was  ex- 
actly in  religion  what  Edgar  A.  Poe,  author  of  the 
Raven,^^  was  in  life  and  literature.  He  had  a 
head  and  a mind  almost  the  exact  counterpart  of 
Poe^s.  Morbid,  erratic,  brilliant  but  grirriy  he  came 
near  committing  suicide  to  avoid  preaching,  and 
turned  infidel  because  once  a presiding  elder  got  up 
a laugh  by  relating  a pleasant  incident.  He  became 
censorious,  and  even  abusive,  while  yet  employed 
by  our  Church.  Various  circumstances  of  his  life 
caused  him  to  become  more  and  more  warped,  so 
that  in  1856  he  had  hardly  a membership  in  the 
Church.  In  1856  he  was  invited  West  by  the 
preacher  at  St.  Charles,  who  supposed  he  was  still 
an  acceptable  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  ministers  of  the  West  knew  little  of 
Redfield,  and  supposing  he  was  all  right,  and  only 
a little  erratic  in  manner,  employed  him  in  pro- 
tracted meetings.  He  held  meetings  attended  with 
great  power  at  St.  Charles,  Elgin,  Marengo,  and 
Woodstock,  and  attended  several  camp-meetings. 
By  this  means  many  of  his  converts  were  brought 
into  the  Church  ready  to  be  led  by  him,  among  whom 
were  many  young  men,  who  afterward  became  his 


THE  CONFERENCE  OF  I860. 


499 


preachers.  Meantime,  the  days  of  division  in  New 
York  drew  on.  In  1858  B.  T.  Roberts  and  Joseph 
McCreary  were  expelled  from  the  Genesee  Confer- 
ence. The  charges  against  Mr.  Roberts  were  mainly 
drawn  from  articles  of  a slanderous  nature  written 
by  him  for  the  Northern  Independent.  In  1859  four 
more  ministers  were  expelled  from  the  conference. 
The  charges  were  mainly  for  working  with  and  aid- 
ing Mr.  Roberts  in  holding  meetings  in  opposition 
to  the  Church.  At  the  same  session  Bishop  Simp- 
son gave  the  decision,  which  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  1860  revoked,  that  where  a company  of  per- 
sons set  up  regular  meetings  independent  of  the 
regular  Church  the  preacher  in  charge,  with  the 
concurrence  of  the  official  board,  might  declare 
them  ^^withdrawnJ^  Under  this  decision  the  first 
severances  were  consummated,  both  in  the  East  and 
in  Illinois.  We  of  the  West  knew  little  about  the 
troubles  East,  and  having  never  met  so  curious  a 
people  as  the  free  folks  were  not  prepared  for  their 
manner  of  doing  things.  It  appears  that  at  several 
camp-meetings  of  1859  the  young  Redfieldite  ex- 
horters  made  friends  with  the  people  in  all  parts  of 
the  country,  and  it  would  seem  that  a concerted 
scheme  was  entered  into,  by  which  it  was  under- 
stood that  protracted  meetings  were  to  be  com- 
menced during  the  session  of  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference, so  that  it  could  not  be  said  the  preachers’ 
rights  were  interfered  with.  Dr.  Redfield  and  E. 
P.  Hart,  in  1859,  engaged  in  such  a meeting  at 
Queen  Ann,  near  Woodstock,  at  the  very  time  Mr. 
Hart  was  admitted  into  the  Rock  River  Conference* 


600 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


I was  appointed  to  Ogle  (now  Ashton)  at  the 
conference  of  1859^  and  on  going  to  the  charge  I 
found  meetings  in  progress  at  the  stone  school- 
house,  being  conducted  by  a young  exhorter  from 
Elgin,  J.  G.  Terrill  by  name.  He  had  gone  to  the 
school-house  instead  of  the  church,  near  by,  so  as 
to  be  independent  of  the  preacher.  I invited  the 
preacher  to  the  church.  Soon  Dr.  Redfield  came, 
and  the  wildest  storm  ever  witnessed  in  the  West 
began.  The  converts  joined  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  and  for  the  whole  year  we  had  them  on 
hand.  They  were  waiting  for  the  organization  of 
the  new  Church,  and  after  the  Free  Methodist 
Church  was  formed  a large  company  went  off  from 
Ogle  and  formed  a Free  Methodist  society  there. 
At  St.  Charles  Dr.  Redfield  preached  at  the  same 
hour  with  the  Methodist  pastor,  and  the  members 
who  attended  were  declared  withdrawn,^^  and  that 
was  the  origin  of  the  Free  Methodist  there.  Else- 
where they  withdrew  and  formed  Free  Methodist 
societies. 


RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  I86O-I8G4.  501 


CHAF>TER  XXXI. 

RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  1860  TO  1864. 

But  let  US  return  to  our  narrative,  and  for  a space 
trace  the  new  charges  that  appeared  between 
1860  and  1864. 

Among  the  new  charges  of  1860  was  Lamont, 
formerly  Athens— from  whence  came  the  Athens 
marble/^  used  in  Chicago — on  the  canal,  where  a 
church  was  commenced  in  1860,  and  a promising 
little  society  began  its  life.  In  1861  the  preacher, 
B.  T.  Vincent,  reported  thirty-five  members ; forty 
dollars  raised  for  missions ; a Sunday-school  with 
one  hundred  and  ten  scholars.  The  church  was 
completed  in  1864  and  dedicated  by  Dr.  Eddy. 

Belden,  as  the  Deats  Settlement,’^  had  been  a 
leading  appointment  on  Crystal  Lake  Circuit  from 
1839.  Under  the  care  of  a Brother  Cook  there  was 
for  years  the  best  country  Sunday-school  in  the  con- 
ference. 

New  Milfoed  is  a small  town  six  miles  south 
of  Rockford,  on  the  Kishwaukie,  which  had  been 
for  many  years  included  in  the  Cherry  Valley 
Circuit. 

In  1861  Genoa  Circuit  was  formed  by  a di- 
vision of  the  Kingston  Circuit.  Bio  Rock  was 
made  up  of  the  fragments  of  the  Sugar  Grove  Circuit. 


502 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


W.  F.  Stewart,  while  on  the  City  Mission,  began 
to  preach  at  Bridgeport  in  private  houses  in  1861. 
His  were  the  first  Protestant  religious  services  in 
the  place.  Soon  a neat  house  of  worship  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  service  of  God,  and  a fine,  prosperous 
Sunday-school  organized.  In  1863  there  was  a 
Bridgeport  tent  at  the  Chicago  Camp-meeting,  in 
which  were  many  faithful  laborers.  The  members 
in  1862  numbered  forty,  and  there  was  a Sunday- 
school  with  about  two  hundred  scholars. 

Palatine  appeared  in  1863.  It  was  one  of  the 
growing  stations  on  the  Northwestern  Railway. 
In  the  Winter  of  1858  three  Methodist  brethren 
began  a prayer-meeting  in  a frame  school-house. 
The  crowd  gathered  in  and  the  little  band  sent  for 
Thomas  Cochran,  the  preacher  on  the  Wheeling 
Circuit,  to  come  and  commence  a meeting.  He 
went,  and  a glorious  revival  followed,  resulting  in 
the  conversion  of  as  thany  as  forty  persons,  among 
whom  was  G.  W.  Hawks,  a noted  Universal  ist,  who 
has  since  become  a useful  Methodist  preacher.  Dur- 
ing the  Summer  a church  was  commenced.  The 
place  continued  to  be  an  appointment  on  Elk  Grove 
Circuit  until  1863. 

SoMANAUK  first  appeared  a separate  charge  in 
1863.  On  the  old  Little  Rock  Circuit  the  appoint- 
ment for  Somanauk  and  Sandwich  was  at  the  red 
school-house,  where  Sandwich  now  stands.  As  long 
ago  as  1857  a class  was  organized  at  Somanauk  Sta- 
tion, and  the  place  supplied  with  preaching  by  the 
Sandwich  preachers.  William  R.  Seeley,  a local 
preacher,  was  sent  to  the  charge  by  the  elder  in  1863^ 


RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  I86O-I864.  503 

and  during  the  Summer,  under  his  lead,  with  Mr. 
Gage  as  cashier,  the  Somanauk  people  put  up  the 
neatest  village  church  in  the  conference.  It  was 
planned  by  O.  S.  Kinney,  a Chicago  architect.  The 
foundation  is  of  brick,  with  room  for  the  furnace. 
The  main  portion  is  wood,  with  a sharp  Gothic 
roof,  and  large  and  small  corner  towers.  The  small 
tower  is  the  chimney.  The  interior  is  most  beau- 
tiful. You  enter  through  doors  in  the  larger  tower, 
and  behold  a room  beautifully  frescoed,  with  stained 
pointed  windows,  and  a recess  in  the  rear  of  the 
pulpit  for  the  leaders  in  singing.  The  cost  in  the 
times  of  1864  high-prices  was  three  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars.  The  church  was  dedicated  on 
Sunday,  November  20,  1864,  by  Dr.  Eddy,  He 
gave  the  audience  one  of  his  best  sermons,  and  took 
in  good  subscriptions  in  a short  time — two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  dollars — to  apply  on  the  in- 
debtedness. 

Two  new  charges  appeared  in  1864 ; they  were 
Trinity  Church,  built  by  a colony  from  old 
Clark  Street,^’  and  South  Rockford.  West 
Rockford  is  divided  by  Kent  Creek,  and  ever 
since  1856  a town  has  been  growing  up  south  of 
this.  The  extensive  Rockford  reaper  factories  are 
situated  in  South  Rockford,  and  these  have  gathered 
around  them  a large  population.  Court  Street 
Church  established  a Sunday-school  in  the  school- 
house  in  1856,  which  has  continued  with  great  suc- 
cess ever  since.  In  March,  1864,  some  forty  or 
fifty  persons  were  organized  by  the  presiding  elder 
into  a separate  charge,  and  this  society  at  once,  un- 


504 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


der  the  lead  of  Israel  Sovereign,  set  about  building 
a church.  This  was  completed  so  as  to  be  dedi- 
cated on  Sunday,  February  12,  1865.  This  was  a 
great  day  for  the  Rockford  Methodists.  The  serv- 
ices were  suspended  in  the  other  Methodist  churches, 
and  the  new  temple  was  crowded  to  overflowing. 
Dr.  Eddy  preached  in  the  morning,  delivering  a ser- 
mon aglow  with  religious  fire  upon  the  Conceal- 
ments and  Revealments  of  the  Divine  Truth. A 
subscription  of  three  thousand  dollars  was  taken 
after  the  morning  service.  Dr.  Raymond  preached 
in  the  afternoon  a sermon  clear,  logical,  and  im- 
pressive, holding  the  audience  intent  for  an  hour 
and  a half.  After  this  sermon  an  additional  thou- 
sand dollars  was  subscribed,  after  which  the  house 
was  dedicated  to  God.  In  the  evening  J.  H.  Vin- 
cent preached  a sern\on  full  of  his  peculiar  ability 
on  the  True  Unity  of  the  Church.^^  It  was  no 
small  treat  to  listen  to  this  matchless  trio  in  one 
day  uttering  their  very  best  preparations.  A gra- 
cious work  of  God  followed  the  dedication.  This 
South  Rock  Church  in  1865  was  the  best  Metho- 
dist church  in  the  city,  and  cost  nine  thousand  dol- 
lars. It  made  four  successful  charges  in  Rockford, 
that  neatest  and  most  enterprising  town  in  the 
conference,  and  the  first  place  outside  of  Chicago 
that  succeeded  in  sustaining  permanently  more  than 
one  charge. 

In  1853  the  ladies  of  the  different  Methodist 
Churches  in  Chicago  organized  themselves  into  the 
Ladies’  City  Missionary  Society  of  Chicago,” 
the  object  of  which  was  to  supply  the  destitute  por- 


RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  I86O-I864.  505 

tions  of  the  city  with  preaching.  They  have  kept 
effective  men  in  their  employ  ever  since.  In  1855, 
when  Sias  Bolles  was  missionary,  there  were  six 
regular  appointments.  In  May,  1856,  there  were 
appointments  at  Wesley  Chapel  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  city,  where  there  were  forty  members ; 
at  Harrison  Street  on  the  west  side,  corner  of  Har- 
rison and  Division  Streets,  where  there  was  a small 
church,  but  no  society;  and  at  Carville,  where  Trin- 
ity Church  now  is,  and  where  there  was  then  a so- 
ciety of  twenty  members.  In  1862  there  were  three 
Churches  connected  v/ith  the  mission,  one  on  Sedg- 
wick Street  on  the  north  side,  where  there  was  a 
good  revival  in  1862 ; another  on  Park  Avenue, 
where  a society  was  organized  in  the  Winter ; and  the 
third  at  Bridgeport.  In  September,  1862,  there 
were  about  ninety  members  connected  with  the  three 
preaching-places.  The  first  missionary  employed 
was  Stewart  Hamilton,  who,  though  a layman,  spent 
most  of  his  time  in  visiting  from  house  to  house. 
He  labored  two  years,  and  in  1855  was  succeeded  by 
Sias  Bolles,  when  the  mission  was  placed  under  the 
care  of  the  conference.  Mr.  Bolles  served  one  year; 
J.  W;  Jacobs  served  two  years ; and  was  followed 
in  1858  by  George  Fellows,  and  he  by  David  Teed 
in  1859.  During  this  year  Sedgwick  Chapel  was 
erected.  In  1860  W.  F.  Stewart  became  the  mis- 
sionary. He  carefully  surveyed  the  ground,  and 
laid  plans  which  contemplated  the  opening  of  new 
places  of  worship  by  the  erection  of  cheap  taber- 
nacles. Tabernacles,  or  temporary  buildings,  were 

erected  at  Park  Avenue  and  Bridgeport,  congrega- 

43 


506 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM, 


tions  gathered,  and  Sunday-schools  established. 
The  places  were  supplied  with  preaching  by  the 
local  preachers  of  the  city  and  the  students  of  the 
Biblical  Institute.  Mr.  Stewart  was  succeeded  by 
J.  S.  Chadwick  in  1862.  The  Harrison  Street  Mis- 
sion became  lost  in  the  Des  Plaines  Street  Charge. 
The  society  has  from  the  beginning  been  perform- 
ing a needful  and  successful  work,  and  coming 
years  shall  give  us  many  prominent  city  charges, 
outgrowths  of  the  small  beginning  connected  with 
the  city  mission.  The  preachers  employed  by 
the  society  will  have  the  credit  of  planting  germs 
that  shall  grow  into  thrifty  and  influential  city 
Churches.  This  refers  to  1865. 

The  year  1848  brought  a new  kind  of  laborer 
into  the  conference,  and  the  year  1853  raised  up 
new  missions  in  our  bounds.  The  laborer  was 
Jonas  J.  Hedsteom,  a Swede,  and  the  mission 
was  the  Swede  Charge  in  Chicago.  In  the  year 
1832  O.  G.  Hedstrom  (Pastor  Hedstrom),  a con- 
verted Swede,  preached  his  first  sermon  in  Allen 
Street  Church,  New  York.  He  soon  began  to 
preach  to  the  Scandinavian  sailors  of  the  city,  and 
after  a time  a floating  Bethel  ship,  John  Wesley  by 
name,  was  moored  in  the  river  at  New  York,  which 
up  to  1865  was  the  gathering-place  of  the  roving 
Norsemen.  Many  of  them  have  there  been  born 
into  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  J.  J.  Hedstrom,  a 
brother  of  the  noted  New  York  pastor,  was  born 
in  Sweden,  August  13,  1813.  He  came  to  this 
country  in  1833,  and  was  soon  after  converted 
through  his  brother’s  instrumentality.  He  soon 


RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  I86O-I864.  507 

received  license  to  exhort,  and  removing  West  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1839.  He  settled  in  Victoria, 
Knox  County,  where  the  Swedes  were  accumulat- 
ing a large  colony.  Mr.  Hedstrom  was  at  last  in- 
duced to  commence  laboring  among  his  people,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Rock  River  Conference  in 
1848  in  the  same  class  with  the  writer  of  these 
sketches.  He  began  his  labors  among  the  Swedes 
around  Victoria,  and  at  the  conference  of  1849  re- 
ported ninety  members.  In  1850  his  first  fellow- 
laborer  entered  the  conference.  The  work  increased 
under  Mr.  Hedstrom^s  superintendence  until  his 
death  in  1859.  He  left,  when  he  died,  ten  minis- 
ters in  the  field  to  carry  on  the  work  he  had  begun. 
He  had  labored  faithfully,  and  his  death  was  tri- 
umphant. When  told  by  his  physician  the  evening 
before  his  death  that  he  could  live  no  longer  than 
till  the  morning  he  broke  forth  into  exultant  thanks- 
giving, exclaiming : Glory  be  to  Jesus !”  He 

died  in  the  morning  of  May  11,  1859.  His  last 
words  were  : Come,  Jesus ; come,  sweet  Jesus 

The  Swede  missions  were  confined  to  the  bounds 
of  the  present  Central  Illinois  Conference  until 
1853,  when  a mission  was  begun  and  a society  or- 
ganized in  Chicago.  O.  G.  Hedstrom  came  West 
and  explored  the  field  a few  weeks  before  the  or- 
ganization of  the  society,  and  preached  in  Chicago 
on  Christmas  day,  1852.  The  Preachers^  Associa- 
tion advised  the  commencement  of  a Swede  Mission 
in  the  city,  and  Bishop  Janes  appointed  S.  B.  New- 
man to  the  charge.  He  arrived  from  New  York 
January  21,  1853,  and  at  once  organized  a class, 


508 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


consisting  of  forty  members^  which  soon  increased 
to  eighty,  and  at  the  conference  in  1853  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  members  were  reported.  In 
1860  a mission  was  commenced  at  Rockford,  where 
the  Swedes  had  in  the  year  1865  a neat  little  church. 
In  the  year  1863  the  Rockford  Swede  preacher 
Victor  Witting,  commenced  the  publication  of  a 
Swede  weekly  paper.  In  November,  1864,  the  Chi- 
cago Book  Concern  assumed  the  responsibility  of 
publishing  the  periodical,  and  it  was  soon  estab- 
lished on  a firm  basis,  and  has  since  prospered  well. 
The  Swede  missions  of  Illinois  are  all  now  included 
in  one  district  in  connection  with  the  Central  Illinois 
Conference,  and  have  a Swede  presiding  elder.  In 
the  West,  as  outgrowths  of  the  labors  of  J.  J.  Hed- 
strom,  there  were  in  1864  eleven  charges,  with 
twelve  preachers,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
fifty-two  members,  sixteen  churches  worth  nineteen 
thousand  dollars,  and  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
scholars  in  Sunday-schools. 

We  have  thus  passed  in  review  the  rise  and 
progress  of  the  work  in  the  various  portions  of  the 
conference.  We  take  room  to  call  attention  to  a 
few  items,  and  then  our  tedious  work  of  years  in 
gathering  and  transcribing  will  be  done. 

At  the  first  session  of  the  conference  three  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  fifty  members  were  reported 
in  the  present  conference  bounds.  The  total  mission 
money  was  four  hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  which 
was  reported  from  all  the  territory,  including  Wis- 
consin and  Iowa.  There  were  but  five  churches  in 
the  conference.  These  were  at  Galena  (built  1833), 


RESUME  OF  THE  WORK  FROM  1860-1864.  509 


Chicago  (1834)^  Lighthouse  Point,  Princeton,  Elgin 
(1838).  The  whole  five  may  have  been  worth  two 
thousand  dollars. 

In  contrast  we  insert  the  report  for  1884:  There 
are,  including  probationers,  twenty-eight  thousand 
members ; two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  churches, 
worth  two  million  sixty-five  thousand  one  hundred 
and  forty  dollars;  nineteen  thousand  six  hundred 
dollars  mission  collections.  Seventy-four  members 
of  the  conference  died  between  1840  and  1885. 
These  were:  C.  D.  Cahoon,  J.  Leckenbee,  D.  Fel- 
lows, Freeborn  Haney,  A.  R.  Shinn,  B.  F.  Bestor, 
O.  W.  Hunger,  William  Palmer,  A.  E.  Phelps,  A. 
Wooliscroft,  John  Clark,  S.  Mattison,  W.  S.  Fid- 
ler,  Allen  Head,  James  McKean,  M.  L.  Reed,  J. 
L.  Mulfinger,  A.  L.  Adams,  C.  A.  Roe,  U.  Von 
Gundin,  H.  C.  Blackwell,  John  Sinclair,  C.  P. 
Bragdon,  I.  Scarritt,  D.  Casseday,  C.  M.  Wood- 
ward, John  Dempster,  Milton  Bourne,  F.  D.  Cor- 
win, Warren  Taplin,  A.  S.  W.  McCausland,  J. 
Frost,  C.  M.  Webster,  D.  Appleford,  L.  Holt,  J. 
G.  Cross,  A.  G.  Smith,  T.  M.  Goodfellow,  Will- 
iam Vallett,  C.  French,  P.  K.  Rye,  R.  A.  Blanch- 
ard, W.  D.  Skelton,  George  Lovesee,  E.  D.  Gould, 
S.  Ambrose,  M.  Decker,  D.  L.  Winslow,  J.  W. 
Davisson,  Philo  Judson,  C.  C.  Bushby,  J.  H. 
Leonard,  C.  Perkins,  William  Kegan,  S.  H.  Stock- 
ing, G.  Libby,  R.  Gillespie,  William  H.  Gloss, 
Hooper  Crews,  J.  Borbridge,  S.  A.  W.  Jewett, 
C.  Brookins,  J.  W.  Agard,  M.  Hanna,  J.  R.  Burns, 
S.  P.  Burr,  Z.  D.  Paddock,  James  Bush,  L.  A. 
Sanford,  C.  F.  Krider,  T.  H.  Haseltine,  Henry 


510 


MEMORIALS  OF  METHODISM. 


Hill,  S.  G.  Lathrop,  and  L.  S.  Walker — men  whose 
lives  we  hope  to  portray  in  another  volume,  to  be 
issued  in  about  a year. 

We  have  thus  passed  in  review  the  rise  and 
progress  of  the  work  in  the  various  portions  of  the 
conference,  and  now  dismiss  the  reader  to  other  toils 
and  incidents. 


